Malaysia says French satellites spot objects in search area

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysia said Sunday, March 23, it had received new satellite images from France showing floating objects in the search area for a missing Malaysian jet in the southern Indian Ocean.

The images include “potential objects in the vicinity of the southern corridor,” the Transport Ministry said in a statement.

It added the images had been passed on to Australian authorities who are coordinating the search for the plane, now focused on a remote stretch of ocean 2,500 kilometers (1,562 miles) southwest of Perth.

The statement gave no details of the number, size or precise location of the objects shown in the French pictures.

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 went missing on March 8 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard.

Malaysia, which later revealed the plane turned back over the Malaysian peninsula after losing contact, has enlisted 25 other countries to help hunt for the plane.

Efforts in recent days have focused on the coast off Australia after previous satellite images of large objects there were released, and a plane spotted a wooden cargo pallet, along with some belts or strap. – Rappler.com