US Navy Sends Two Destroyers to Assist in Search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370

The United States Navy has thus far dispatched two Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers to assist in the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which went missing on Saturday, March 9 somewhere over the Pacific Ocean between Malaysia and Vietnam. According to Stars and Stripes, both destroyers — the USS Kidd and the USS Pinckney — were conducting training in the South China Sea when they were called in to assist.

As Stars and Stripes reports, each destroyer is equipped with MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, which are capable of conducting night searchers using Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) cameras.

In addition to the two destroyers, the Navy has also sent a P-3C Orion aircraft to help with the search. The Orion will search an area West of Malaysia and cover approximately 1,500 square miles every hour. The USNS John Ericcson, a Military Sealift Command underway replenishment oiler, has also been dispatched, Stars and Stripes said.