Chinese icebreaker, military planes join search for MH370

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Dimensions of the Boeing 777-200ER Wing span: 60.9 metres Overall length: 63.7 metres Tail height: 18.5 metres Fuselage diameter: 6.19 metres

ABOARD XUELONG -- Chinese icebreaker Xuelong is set to head for the southern Indian Ocean on Friday to search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.

Upon arrival at the western Australian port of Fremantle for replenishment on Friday morning, the long-serving Antarctic research vessel received orders from the State Oceanic Administration of China to join the hunt.

Xuelong's captain, Wang Jianzhong, said 87 of the crew members will participate in the mission and the ship is trying to store as many supplies as possible.

Meanwhile, three Chinese Air Force planes have been sent to Malaysia to help with the search for MH370.

Upon commands of the Central Military Commission, the aircraft, two IL-76 transport planes and a Yun-8 cargo plane, took off from south China's Sanya airport at about 8 am on Friday, said People's Liberation Army Air Force spokesman Shen Jinke.

Shen said the mission was decided according to arrangements made by China's marine salvage authority and Malaysian authorities.

The multinational search for the Malaysian flight continued as four aircraft of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) have left Perth for the search area, the agency announced.

AMSA said a RAAF P3 Orion has left at about 12:45 pm local time and will join two other P3 Orions and an ultra long range Bombadier Global Express jet.

Due to the distance to and from the search area, the planes involved have about 2 hours of search time, said AMSA, whose website has been confirmed straining and thus often inaccessible due to mounting visitors.

A USNavy P8 Poseidon plane will head for the search area at about 16:00 pm.

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