40 volunteers from an NGO group, Buddhist Tzu Chi are working closely with Malaysia Airlines (MAS) to provide counselling support for the families of the passengers on flight MH370.

"We have deployed our team here in Putrajaya and also to Beijing to assist MAS in dealing with the family members, especially those who speak Mandarin," said Sio Kee Hong, Vice CEO of Buddhist Tzu Chi.

The organisation signed had an agreement with MAS in 2007 to provide counselling in the event of a disaster.

Sio said that the family members who are currently in Putrajaya are quite traumatised and what all their volunteers really need to do is just to be there physically.

"Most of the family members are in shock and can't really talk much. We just need to show that we are here for them," he said.

Sio added that his team will remain for as long as it takes to provide as much help and support that they can.

MH370, a code share flight with China Southern Airlines, left KLIA for Beijing at 12:41am yesterday morning.

All communication with the plane was lost at 2:40am and no distress signal or call was received.

The flight was carrying 239 passengers, 38 of them Malaysians. It was scheduled to arrive at Beijing International Airport at 6:30am local time.