Vietnam is maintaining its search for the missing Malaysian aircraft, with the search area extending both to the east of the plane’s last-known location and to remote areas on the mainland.

This was announced by deputy chief of the General Staff of Vietnam People’s Army, Lieut. Gen Vo Van Tuan on March 12.

The same day, countries taking part in the search dispatched 22 aircraft and 31 vessels, including eight planes and nine ships from Vietnam.

Refuting reports that Vietnam has halted the search, Tuan made it clear that fleets of planes and ships are continuing the mission as assigned.

Speculation that evidence of the ill-fated plane’s location has been discovered was also dismissed, after Vietnam’s Office of the National Committee for Search and Rescue was told on March 11 by a Malaysian military attaché in Hanoi that the Malaysian side did not release the information.

Later on March 12, the Centre for Control and Exploitation of Small Satellites received a collection of 13 photos captured from VNRedsat -1 satellite near Tho Chu Island.

After initial analysis, experts have found no suspect signals or strange objects that shed light on the mystery.

The VNRedsat – 1 satellite will take images in other locations if requested.-VNA