Vietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communications has revoked a journalist’s press card for a serious violation of Government regulations.

In a statement on its website, the ministry said journalist Mai Phan Loi from the Ho Chi Minh City Law Newspaper has “seriously damaged the reputation” of the Vietnam People’s Army, “hurt the feelings” of families and colleagues of the military personnel who have perished on duty and “damaged the reputation of other journalists.”

On Saturday, Mr Mai reportedly posted a voting poll on the Young Journalist Forum Facebook page, where he is an administration, asking its 12,000 members about the reasons behind the missing of the CASA 212-40 sea patrol aircraft.

He allegedly listed some reasons that could have caused the loss of the aircraft including: the plane was shot; the plane was of poor quality, and due to corruption in the defence sector.

The poll sparked heavy criticism on social media and several newspapers for using inappropriate words to describe the event.

Mr Mai took down the poll and apologised to the group’s members on Monday.

The Ho Chi Minh City Law Newspaper has also suspended Mai for further investigation, according to a report on state-run Petrotimes.

All media outlets in Vietnam are under state control.

Bad weather has hampered the search for the missing aircraft, its nine crew members and the Sukhoi Su-30 MK2 fighter jet they were looking for.

– with other agencies