Briana KoenemanThe frantic search continues for the Malaysia Airlines flight that seemingly vanished over the South China Sea Saturday.
The Boeing 777-200 was on its way to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur when Malaysia Airlines officials say they lost all contact with the plane — and the 239 people on board. (Via Fox News)
The chief executive of an online aircraft tracking service confirmed to The New York Times via email that the missing plane was equipped with a device that transmitted its position regularly.
And according to the BBC, the plane's last recorded location was over the sea 120 miles southwest of Vietnam's Ca Mau about two hours into the flight.
But after that, nothing. The airline's CEO told reporters Saturday there was no indication that the pilots sent any kind of distress signal, and no wreckage has been found. (Via CNN)
Several reports earlier in the day Saturday said that the missing plane landed in China, but Malaysia Airlines has yet to confirm or deny the claim. (Via The Straits Times)
Rescue teams from Malaysia, Vietnam, China, Singapore and the Philippines joined forces to find the missing plane Saturday. But after hours of fruitless searching, officials are beginning to assume the worst.
The director of Vietnam's Civil Aviation Administration told The New York Times, "Vietnam has ordered airplanes and military ships for the work, but we have not had any result yet. Right now, we have not had much to comment on, but the possibility of an accident is high."
And Malaysia Airlines said in a statement posted to its Facebook page that it was in the process of notifying each of the passengers' next of kin.
But the mystery remains — How did a large aircraft carrying hundreds of people manage to seemingly disappear into thin air?
Officials say there were no reports of bad weather in the area at the time. Malaysia's transport minister told reporters there was no reason to suspect foul play, but all possibilities are being investigated. (Via USA Today)
Of the 239 passengers on board, four were American, including an infant. Malaysia Airlines officials say they will relay information to the public as they receive it.
