Ships of the Indian Navy that are on patrol in the Straits of Malacca are participating in the search and rescue (SAR) operations for the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) MH370 which went missing last Saturday.

The Indian Navy's satellite Rukmini or GSAT-7 has also been activated to pick up any clue that may lead investigators to the missing aircraft, Indian Media reported.

The SAR operations for the aircraft entered its fifth day today.

Over 40 ships and 26 aircraft from various countries have joined in the search for the missing plane, which mysteriously disappeared from the radar on March 8.

MAS Flight MH370, carrying 227 passengers, including five Indian nationalities, and 12 crew, went missing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing about an hour after taking off from the KL International Airport at 12.41 am Saturday.

It should have landed in Beijing at 6.30 am the same day.