SOUTH CHINA SEA, March 8 — USS Pinckney, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer conducting training and maritime operations in the South China Sea, is en route to the southern coast of Vietnam to assist in search efforts of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight.

The ship could be in vicinity of the missing jet within 24 hours and carries two MH-60R helicopters which can be equipped for search and rescue, said a statement from the US Seventh Fleet Public Affairs department.

A P-3C Orion aircraft will also depart from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan bringing long-range search, radar and communications capabilities to the efforts.