China supplies engine oil to its aircraft searching for MH370

The Chinese military has supplied 400 liters of engine oil to its aircraft which are searching for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane in the southern Indian Ocean.[Special coverage]

A China Southern Airlines plane transported the aeroengine oil from Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou and arrived in Perth in the early hours of Friday.

Early logistic support for the Chinese aircraft can last one month, said Li Gongsheng, an officer of the Chinese air force.

Due to the uncertainty of the search mission, the Chinese air force on Sunday contacted a Singaporean oil company, which has operations in Perth, and the latter agreed to provide two batches of aeroengine oil, Li said.

But the Singaporean company informed the Chinese air force Thursday night that it only had 40 liters of engine oil for the first batch and could not provide the second batch next Tuesday.

"Engine oil is the lubricating oil to guarantee the normal operation of aeroengines -- the heart of a plane," Li said.

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 carrying 239 people vanished en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8.

The Chinese air force detachment with two IL-76 planes arrived in Perth on March 22 to provide help for the multinational operation in the southern Indian Ocean.

Up to 11 military aircraft and 12 ships participated in Friday's search in an area totalling 51,870 square km, according to Australia's Joint Agency Coordination Center.

Chinese patrol ship Haixun 01 arrived in Albany port in western Australia Friday morning with one month's supply.

The ship is scheduled to reach a sea area about 2,500 km away from Albany Monday midnight or early Tuesday morning.