BEIJING - A Malaysia Airline flight enroute to Beijing lost contact with air control on Saturday when flying over Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam.

Xinhua news agency said so far, the flight has not contacted Chinese air traffic management department or entered China's air traffic control area.

Flight MH370, a B777-200 aircraft, departed Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur at 00.41am on Saturday, and was expected to land in Beijing at 6.30am the same day, according to Malaysia Airlines.

But the flight lost contact and its radar signal at 01.20am.

China's Civil Aviation Administration (CAAC) confirmed that the plane was carrying 239 people, including 12 crew members and 160 Chinese passengers.