BEIJING, March 12 -- Eight Chinese vessels were searching for missing flight MH370 as of 7 a.m. Beijing time on Wednesday, the China Maritime Search and Rescue Center said.

The vessels were carrying five helicopters, twelve professional divers and other equipment, said He Jianzhong, head of the center.

The search will not only cover an area 90 nautical miles long and 25 nautical miles wide, but also move northwestward, to an area 60 nautical miles long and wide, according to the center.

The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 left Kuala Lumpur at 0:41 a.m. Beijing time on Saturday and was expected to land in Beijing at 6:30 a.m..

Contact with the aircraft was lost while it was over the Ho Chi Minh City air traffic control area in Vietnam.

The flight was carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew, including more than 150 Chinese.