Twenty six countries are searching for the MAS plane along two arcs, one stretching Thailand to the borders Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan border, and another from Indonesia to the south Indian Ocean. — Reuters pic

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 — The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) said it did not observe Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 on radar, following reports that some residents saw a low-flying “jumbo jet” the same day the plane went missing.

In a statement posted on the website of the country’s foreign affairs ministry, it said that its military radars did not register any unauthorised intrusion into its airspace.

“Furthermore, no trace of the MH 70 Airline (sic) has been found from the data scrutinized thus far from radars stationed at the airports in the Maldives,” it said in the statement.

An image in support of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 is seen on the Umno building in Kuala Lumpur March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic Malaysians hold candles during a special prayer for passengers onboard the missing MH370 in Kuala Lumpur March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic Malaysian women hold candles during a special prayer for passengers onboard missing MH370 in Kuala Lumpur March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic A woman holds a candle during a special prayer for passengers onboard missing MH370 in Kuala Lumpur March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic A woman holds a candle during a special prayer for passengers onboard missing MH370 in Kuala Lumpur March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic Police block reporters from following Chinese family members of the missing MH370 passengers at a hotel near KLIA March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic A journalist breaks free from the police who stopped media chasing after Chinese family members of passengers onboard the missing MH370 at a hotel near KLIA March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic Chinese family members of passengers onboard the missing MH370 are escorted away from the media at a hotel, near KLIA March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic A Chinese family member of a missing MH370 passenger is escorted away from the media at a hotel near KLIA March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic A Chinese family member of a missing MH370 passenger is escorted away from the media at a hotel near KLIA March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic A Chinese family member (red shirt) of a missing MH370 passenger is escorted away from the media at a hotel near KLIA March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic A Chinese family member of a passenger onboard the missing MH370 screams as she is being brought into a room at a hotel near KLIA March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic A Chinese family member of a passenger onboard the missing MH370 screams outside the media conference area at a hotel in Sepang March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic A combination photo shows various artwork put up by members of the public for missing MH370 at a viewing gallery in KLIA March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic A woman walks past screens showing flight information and a ‘Pray for MH370’ sign at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic A visitor hangs a card with well-wishes for passengers onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 and their families, in Kuala Lumpur March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic Visitors write well-wishes for passengers onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 and their family, in Kuala Lumpur March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic A woman writes a message on a board dedicated to passengers onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 and their family members, in Petaling Jaya March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic A relative of a passenger onboard the missing flight MH370 asks questions to officials from Malaysia Airlines during the company's briefing to family members at a hotel in Beijing March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic A poem (top) for missing flight MH370 and announcements from Malaysia Airlines are attached on a pillar of a room for family members and friends of passengers onboard the flight at a hotel in Beijing March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic A relative of a passenger onboard the missing flight MH370 is seen through a door while he waits for news at a hotel in Beijing March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic A relative of a passenger onboard missing flight MH370 is seen through a door while he waits for news at a hotel in Beijing March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic Relatives of passengers onboard missing flight MH370 complain to an official from Malaysia Airlines after the company's briefing to family members at a hotel in Beijing March 19, 2014. — Reuters pic People attend a special event for the passengers of the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 in central Kuala Lumpur March 18, 2014. — Reuters pic Messages of support are hung during a special event for the passengers of the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 in central Kuala Lumpur March 18, 2014. — Reuters pic Women pray during a special event for the passengers of the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 in central Kuala Lumpur March 18, 2014. — Reuters pic People turn the lights of their phones towards the sky during a special event and prayer for the passengers of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in central Kuala Lumpur March 18, 2014. — Reuters pic Pakistani Christians hold candles to pray for the passengers and crew members of the missing Malaysia Airline flight MH370, in Islamabad March 18, 2014. — Reuters pic A Pakistani Christian girl holds a candle to pray for the passengers and crew members of the missing Malaysia Airline flight MH370 in Islamabad March 18, 2014. — Reuters pic A child leaves a message of support for family members and passengers onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang, outside Kuala Lumpur March 18, 2014. — Reuters pic Peter Chong holds a smartphone displaying a picture of himself with missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah (right) during an interview with Reuters at a hotel in Sepang March 18, 2014. — Reuters pic Previous Next

Yesterday, the island’s police said they were investigating a report on the Haveeru news website that local residents had spotted a large plane flying over the remote southern island of Kuda Huvadhoo on March 8.

“The police are looking into the reports in the media saying that a low-flying airplane was sighted above Kuda Huvadhoo,” the statement said.

Twenty six countries are searching for the MAS plane with 239 people onboard along two arcs, one stretching Thailand to the borders Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan border, and another from Indonesia to the south Indian Ocean.

Maldives is not located at either corridor.