10 Chinese vessels on standby for missing jet search

Ten Chinese vessels are on standby for further instructions as the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet continues.  [Special coverage]

Eight vessels are on call over the Gulf of Thailand, while the other two are in waters near Singapore, according to He Jianzhong, director of the China Maritime Search and Rescue Center.

Another vessel is on its way to Singapore and expected to reach there Tuesday night, He disclosed.

The search for flight MH370, a Boeing 777-200ER, entered its 10th day on Monday after the plane went missing on its way to Beijing on March 8, carrying 12 crew and 227 passengers, including 154 Chinese.

In the 24 hours till Monday noon, several Chinese merchant ships had assisted in the searching across the designated waters of the Strait of Malacca, with no discoveries after scouring 7,901 square kilometers in the area, according to He.

China on Saturday urged Malaysia to continue providing more "thorough and correct information" about the jet after the Malaysian Prime Minister claimed the plane deliberately steered off course.

In response to the latest development, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said the country will adjust its search plan in a timely manner and call on all countries involved to lend a hand.

The number of countries involved in the jet search increased to 26 on Monday, according to a statement issued by the Malaysian Ministry of Transport.

So far, search efforts have failed to find any trace of the plane.