India on Thursday deployed two ships from the Andaman and Nicobar islands in the Bay of Bengal, some 1,200 km from India's east coast, to join the international search for the missing Malaysian Airlines MH370 jet that disappeared on Saturday.
India’s Defense Ministry also ordered the deployment of aircrafts and helicopters for the search operation, Indian media reported.
India joins the list of more than a dozen countries that have unsuccessfully searched for the passenger jet with 239 people on board since its mysterious disappearance from radar screens on Saturday.
India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands became crucial search points after it was speculated that the missing jet disappeared over the Malacca Strait, which is merely an hour's flight from the Indian islands.
The Malaysian Airlines jet vanished from air traffic control screens midway between Malaysia and Vietnam, about one hour into a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
U.S. investigators suspect that the aircraft may have flown for four hours following its last confirmed location, the Wall Street Journal reported.
By Mubasshir Mushtaq
englishnews@aa.com.tr
