MH370: Singapore offers its IFC in the search for the missing plane

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has offered Malaysia the help of its Information Fusion Centre (IFC) which has a network of 13 military navies and 51 civilian shipping companies worldwide to locate the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370.

In a statement, SAF said the IFC had activated this network of ships to report any unusual sightings in designated search areas. More companies are expected to be contacted.

It said the IFC also had international Liaison Officers stationed here from 13 countries who could help coordinate actions from Australia, Brunei, France, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Peru, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and the United States.

SAF said the Republic of Singapore Air Force Fokker-50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (F-50 MPA), which was deployed to Butterworth Air Base, Malaysia on March 14, 2014 had returned to Singapore Monday evening as Malaysian authorities had called off the Search-and-Locate (SAL) operations in the South China Sea and the Melaka Straits.

It added the SAF was ready to provide further assistance to support the international SAL efforts.