Hope dims as unsuccessful search continues for missing flight

Searches stretching into the fifth day by the Vietnamese government and civilians failed to uncover any clues to the fate of the missing Malaysian jet liner, officials said on Wednesday.  [Special coverage]

Deputy Commander of Vietnamese Navy Le Minh Thanh told reporters that the Vietnamese government was doing everything in their power to find any clue to the whereabouts of the missing flight, which seemingly vanished on March 8.

"There has been no change in the search. Search parties continue to sweep the western shore off the Phu Quoc Island and the eastern areas off the Vietnam coast but no sign of debris or any other indication of the plane has been found," he said.

The search, which is now utilizing a civilian shipping vessel as well, will continue in much the same pattern on Thursday, Thanh said. The Vietnamese official has assured that the government will continue to deploy maximum resources within its capacity to find any indication of MH370 airliner carrying 237 passengers that left from Kuala Lumpur on Saturday for Beijing.

The assurance came after officials based in the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc said on Wednesday morning they would suspend some search operations after reports of debris was reportedly sighted off the Strait of Malacca.

However, the Vietnamese central government was quick to assure that no such reduction of search operations would take place as it would be unfair to distraught family and friends waiting for news of their loved ones.

Hours later Malaysian officials denied any clues to the disappeared plane was sighted in their waters.

"During the last four and a half days the Vietnamese government has spared no effort or resource in attempting to find the missing plane. Nonetheless, to date, nothing has been found but the search will continue at full scale," Thanh stressed.

A Vietnamese flight dispatched to Cambodia after reports of possible clues had also returned empty handed, Thanh said in response to questions by the media.