The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has ceased its search and locate (SAL) operations in the South China Sea for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

The ships and aircraft along with SAF personnel supporting the operation are on their way back to Singapore.

However, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) would continue to support the SAL operation in the Malacca Strait with the Fokker-50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft, RSAF said in its Facebook post Saturday night.

It said the Fokker-50 aircraft was deployed to Butterworth Air Base, Malaysia, on Friday and would be operating out of that air base.

The SAF stands ready to provide further assistance to Malaysia in support of the SAL efforts for the missing plane.

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH370, carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew, went missing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing about an hour after taking off from the KL International Airport in Sepang at 12.41 am last Saturday.

It should have landed in Beijing at 6.30 am.