PHU QUOC, Vietnam, March 13 -- Despite Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia sending aircraft and vessels to hunt suspected debris of the missing Malaysian flight spotted by Chinese satellites, the search proved to be futile, an official said here on Thursday.

Vietnam on Thursday dispatched four planes, one helicopter and seven ships to search the area and nothing has been found, state- run Vietnam National Flight Control Deputy General Manager Duan Lu Gia told reporters on the southern island of Phu Quoc, as the search dragged into a sixth day.

The power of the latest Vietnamese search effort comprised two seaplanes, two An-26 aircraft and one Mi-17 helicopter, all of whom had returned empty handed, according to Duan.

Search efforts had concentrated on the location of three large floating objects picked up by Chinese satellites on Wednesday in water off south coast of Vietnam, which sparked hope of a breakthrough in the arduous search operation involving 12 countries.

"The Vietnamese government is doing everything in its power," Duan reiterated.

Asked whether Vietnamese government has calculated the cost of the search operations, Duan said that the government conducted the search efforts in the air and sea for humanitarian reasons.

"Since the reported last known position of the flight MH370 is very close to Vietnam's air control area, it is also our responsibility to ensure that search operations are carried out competently," he insisted.