China helps in Vietnam's search for missing aircraft

China has sent several warships, coastguard vessels and rescue ships to help Vietnam search for the missing Vietnamese aircraft and crew in waters of the Beibu Gulf between Vietnam's northern coastline and China's Hainan Island.

China Maritime Search and Rescue Center, at the request of Vietnam, sent two rescue vessels Thursday night to search for a missing fighter jet, a coastguard plane and their crews, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

On Friday, China Coast Guard and the Chinese navy sent three coastguard vessels and four warships to help in the search.

According to media report, a Russian-made SU-30 fighter jet of the Vietnam Air Forces disappeared from radar screens Tuesday in waters of the Beibu Gulf. Contact with one pilot of the plane was lost.

Later on Thursday afternoon, a Vietnamese coastguard plane with nine people aboard went missing while searching for the lost fighter.

"The Chinese side attaches great importance to the request for help from Vietnam," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, adding China has mobilized forces of various kinds to conduct all-out search and rescue operations.

"We hope the missing aircraft and crew members could be found as early as possible," said Hua. Endi