French satellites have located 122 pieces of objects in an area of 400 square kilometers in the southern Indian Ocean. Malaysian Acting Minister of Transport Hishammuddin Hussein updated the media on this new lead during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
The new satellite images are in addition to three other sources of satellite data from China, Britain and Australia. However, whether the objects are in fact debris from flight MH370 is yet to be verified.
The minister said Australia was leading the search effort in the southern Indian Ocean. The search area has now been divided into an eastern and western sector. When last reports came in, there were six planes each in both the sectors, bringing the total to 12. Six countries are involved in the search operations.
Search efforts in the northern corridor and the northern part of the southern corridor have already been called off.
The minister also said that he had met Chinese Special Envoy Zhang Yesui. He said both sides had agreed to steadfastly continue the search for flight MH370 until debris or any other physical proof of it is found.