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| Malaysia missing plane: China widens ship search | Malaysia missing plane: China widens ship search |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| China has deployed ships to search new areas for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane, as Thailand said its radars may have tracked the flight shortly after it lost contact. | China has deployed ships to search new areas for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane, as Thailand said its radars may have tracked the flight shortly after it lost contact. |
| China has sent nine ships to waters south-east of the Bay of Bengal and west of Indonesia. | |
| Teams from 26 countries are trying to find flight MH370, which went missing on 8 March with 239 people on board. | |
| The entire search area is now roughly the size of Australia. | The entire search area is now roughly the size of Australia. |
| Malaysia says the plane, which was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, was intentionally diverted and could have flown on either a northern or southern arc from its last known position in the Malacca Straits. | Malaysia says the plane, which was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, was intentionally diverted and could have flown on either a northern or southern arc from its last known position in the Malacca Straits. |
| Investigators are looking into the possibility that the aircraft's crew - or other individuals on the plane - were involved in its disappearance. | Investigators are looking into the possibility that the aircraft's crew - or other individuals on the plane - were involved in its disappearance. |
| 'Low-flying airplane' | 'Low-flying airplane' |
| The Chinese vessels set off from Singapore early on Wednesday, to search an area of around 300,000 sq km (116,000 sq miles), state-run Xinhua news agency reported. | The Chinese vessels set off from Singapore early on Wednesday, to search an area of around 300,000 sq km (116,000 sq miles), state-run Xinhua news agency reported. |
| The ships would focus on waters near Sumatra, away from regions being searched by other countries, it added. | The ships would focus on waters near Sumatra, away from regions being searched by other countries, it added. |
| On Tuesday, China began searching its territory along the northern arc for the aircraft, following a request from the Malaysian authorities. | On Tuesday, China began searching its territory along the northern arc for the aircraft, following a request from the Malaysian authorities. |
| Meanwhile, Thailand's air force said on Tuesday a re-examination of its radar data found what may have been the plane travelling west towards the Malacca Straits shortly after it lost contact with air traffic controllers. | Meanwhile, Thailand's air force said on Tuesday a re-examination of its radar data found what may have been the plane travelling west towards the Malacca Straits shortly after it lost contact with air traffic controllers. |
| This would be consistent with Malaysia's military radar, which spotted the plane over the Malacca Straits - the opposite direction from its planned flight path - early on 8 March. | This would be consistent with Malaysia's military radar, which spotted the plane over the Malacca Straits - the opposite direction from its planned flight path - early on 8 March. |
| The Thai military had previously said it had not detected any sign of the aircraft. | The Thai military had previously said it had not detected any sign of the aircraft. |
| Thai officials said they did not report the radar data earlier because they "did not pay attention to it". | Thai officials said they did not report the radar data earlier because they "did not pay attention to it". |
| In another development, police in the Maldives are investigating reports that residents saw a "low-flying airplane" above Kuda Huvadhoo island the day the plane vanished, AFP news agency reports. | In another development, police in the Maldives are investigating reports that residents saw a "low-flying airplane" above Kuda Huvadhoo island the day the plane vanished, AFP news agency reports. |
| Many leads and sightings of possible debris pursued so far have proven not to be linked to the plane. | Many leads and sightings of possible debris pursued so far have proven not to be linked to the plane. |
| The entire search area is now 2.24m square nautical miles (7.68m sq km), Malaysian authorities said. | The entire search area is now 2.24m square nautical miles (7.68m sq km), Malaysian authorities said. |
| Several countries, including Australia, the US, New Zealand, Korea, Japan and the UAE have committed planes and ships to the search and rescue effort. | Several countries, including Australia, the US, New Zealand, Korea, Japan and the UAE have committed planes and ships to the search and rescue effort. |
| On Tuesday, relatives of the 153 Chinese passengers on board the plane threatened a hunger strike if they did not receive better information from the authorities. | On Tuesday, relatives of the 153 Chinese passengers on board the plane threatened a hunger strike if they did not receive better information from the authorities. |