HO CHI MINH CITY, March 12 — The air search-and-rescue (SAR) operation for the missing Malaysia Airline’s Boeing 777-200ER by the Vietnamese authority at an air force base here have not been scaled down, said the base’s vice commander Nguyen Thai Son.

Speaking at a media conference here today, he said, six aircraft, including those equipped with high tech equipment, were deployed daily for the operation from the Airforce Base of 918 Brigade.

“The aircraft have undertaken 22 flights from the airbase and each flight covers 400 square kilometres,” he said when asked to comment on reports that Vietnam had scaled down its search operation, including suspending air searches.

The air force Base of 918 Brigade has been the focus of attention for local reporters as well as those of other countries such as Malaysia, Japan and China as well as other international media groups.

Everyday, the media will be at the air base to wait for confirmation on flying with one of the aircraft on patrol for the SAR operation.

The flights have been as far as Con Dao islands, which is about 230km from Ho Chi Minh City and located in the southeast region of Vietnam, he said.

Apart from the airbase, the SAR operation also has a base on Phu Quoc Island, which was first reported as the nearest location to where the plane was reported missing. — Bernama