Korea mulls sending aircraft for Malaysia jet search

South Korea is considering dispatching two military aircraft to assist with ongoing international search efforts for the missing Malaysia airplane, a military source said Friday, amid deepening mystery surrounding the jet's fate.

Seoul is reviewing a plan to send the P-3C Orion patrol aircraft and C-130 military transport airplane to find the Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 that disappeared somewhere over waters between Malaysia and Vietnam last week.

"The South Korean military has participated in the international search and rescue operations for humanitarian purpose," the source said, asking for anonymity as the plan has not been confirmed.

"Sending aircraft to locate the missing plane is considered as part of international rescue operations." 

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared from radar early Saturday morning, less than an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur en route to Beijing, with 239 people from at least a dozen countries, including China, the U.S. and Indonesia, on board.

The international hunt initially focused on the South China Sea, east of Malaysia, along the plane's intended route. Navies and military aircraft of more than a dozen countries across Southeast Asia have expanded their search westward toward India to find clues about the missing airline. (Yonhap)