China says its aircraft not conducting overland searches for missing Malaysia Airlines jet

Beijing: China`s foreign ministry said on Wednesday that its aircraft are not conducting searches over land for a missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner but that it was expanding searches at sea. Ministry spokesman Qin Gang made the statement at a regular press briefing. Earlier in the day the chief of China`s civil aviation authority said that searches would be broadened to include land areas. In one of the most baffling mysteries in recent aviation history, a massive search operation has so far found no trace of the aircraft days after it disappeared carrying 239 passengers and crew.