Vietnam to check floating lifeboat-like object at sea

Vietnam is sending aircraft to check up if a lifeboat-like floating object found at sea comes from the missing Malaysian Airlines jet, a pilot told Xinhua on Monday.

The floating object is located at 081650 North (Latitude) and 105110 East (Longitude), according to the pilot.

One Mi 171 helicopter and DHC6 seaplane of Vietnamese navy are leaving for the spot, Tran Van Quang, commander of regiment 917, Division 370 of the Air and Air defense force told Xinhua by phone.

Quang, who is also pilot of the Mi 171, said that the two aircraft are ready to head for the location from Phu Quoc island in southern Vietnam where a field headquarters for search and rescue operation was set up.

Quang said it will take the Mi 171 an hour and 20 minutes to reach the location where the object was spotted.

Earlier, Malaysia informed Vietnam that it spotted a lifeboat- like object at sea and asked Vietnam to verify if it belongs to the missing plane.

Flight MH370, operated by a Malaysia Airlines' Boeing 777-200 carrying 12 crew members and 227 passengers including 154 Chinese, lost contact with air traffic control early on Saturday on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.