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Malaysia Airlines chief executive Ahmad Jauhari Yahya speaks to the media during a news conference on missing Flight MH370, in Sepang March 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
SEPANG, March 8 — Local authorities are still trying to verify reports that missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 has landed in Nanning in China, MAS group chief executive officer Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said today.
Jauhari told a press conference at the Sama-Sama Hotel in the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) that a search and rescue operation is being conducted at the South China Sea when air traffic control last heard from the plane.
The plane is believed to have gone off radar when it was flying some 120 nautical miles off the coast of Kota Baru, between Vietnam and Malaysia.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all passengers and crew and their family members,” he said.
Jauhari said so far, there has been no distress signal received from the Boeing B777-200 aircraft, which lost contact with ground control from 2.40am, some two hours after it left KLIA.
He said the plane, piloted by 53-year-old Captain Zahari Ahmad Shah, has enough fuel to fly up to 8.30am.
In the Gallery
People take pictures of a flight information board displaying the Scheduled Time of Arrival (STA) of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 (top, in red) at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, March 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
A relative of a passenger onboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, covers her face as she cries at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, March 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
Journalists attempt to interview a woman who is the relative of a passenger on Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, as she crouches on the floor crying, at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, March 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
A man takes pictures of a flight information board displaying the Scheduled Time of Arrival (STA) of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 (top, in red) at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, March 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
Journalists wait in a conference room for a news conference regarding the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, at a hotel in Beijing, March 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
Family members of those on-board the missing Malaysia Airlines flight walk into the waiting area at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, March 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
A relative of a passenger onboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 cries at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing March 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
Family members of those on-board the missing Malaysia Airlines flight, walk into the waiting area at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, March 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
Family members of those on-board the missing Malaysia Airlines flight, walk into the waiting area at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, March 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
The holding area set up at Level 5 for family members of those on-board the missing Malaysia Airlines flight at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, March 8, 2014. — Picture by Choo Choy May
Distraught family members of those on-board the missing Malaysia Airlines flight, arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, March 8, 2014. — Picture by Choo Choy May
Distraught family members of those on-board the missing Malaysia Airlines flight, arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, March 8, 2014. — Picture by Choo Choy May
Journalists take pictures and videos of a relative of a passenger of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, at a hotel in Beijing, March 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
A crying woman is escorted to a bus for relatives at the Beijing Airport after news of the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 plane on March 8, 2014. — AFP pic
A Malaysia Airlines spokesman speaks to journalists regarding information about Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, during a news conference at a hotel in Beijing, March 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and MAS group chief executive officer Ahmad Jauhari Yahya at a press conference at the Sama-Sama Hotel in the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. — Picture by Choo Choy May
Family members of those onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 are interviewed by media at the waiting area at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, March 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
A relative of a passenger of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 speaks to journalists at a hotel in Beijing, March 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
A relative of a passenger of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 talks on a mobile phone as journalists attempt to interview her at a hotel in Beijing, March 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
A woman, whose husband is a passenger of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, attempts to leave a hotel after complaining about Malaysia Airlines, in Beijing, March 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
A Vietnamese Air Force officer takes photos from a search and rescue aircraft in the search area for a missing Malaysia Airlines plane, 250km from Vietnam and 190km from Malaysia, in this handout photo from Thanh Nien Newpaper taken March 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
An aerial view of an oil spill is seen from a Vietnamese Air Force aircraft in the search area for a missing Malaysia Airlines plane, 250km from Vietnam and 190km from Malaysia, in this handout photo from Thanh Nien Newpaper taken on March 8, 2014. — Reuters pic
“We didn’t issue the alert before 8.30 am because the aircraft had enough fuel till then. As we couldn’t contact them we then issued the alert to the media,” he said.
In a statement earlier this morning, MAS said that that flight MH370 lost contact with Subang Air Traffic Control at 2.40am.
The Boeing B777-200 aircraft took off from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 12.41am this morning and was due to land in Beijing at 6.30am local time.
It was carrying 227 passengers including two infants and a total of 12 crew members.
The Malay Mail Online understands that MAS has sent out an email to its staff members, asking for 150 volunteers, preferably Mandarin-speaking, to go to China this afternoon as caregivers.
Jauhari said in a statement at 9.05am this morning that the plane is still being located by a search and rescue team.
Family members of the aircraft passengers and crew members have been told to wait at the Support Facility Building at KLIA’s South Support Zone.
For directions, call +60387871269.
