Search for missing Malaysian jet intensifies as ‘suspicious’ objects spotted

Beijing: China's state news agency says a Chinese plane crew has spotted a white, square-shaped object in an area identified by satellite imagery as containing possible debris from the missing Malaysian airliner.

Xinhua News agency says the crew aboard the IL-76 plane spotted the object in the southern Indian Ocean search area on Monday.

Satellite images from Australia and China have identified possible debris in the area that may be linked to the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 on March 8 with 239 people aboard.

Aircraft from several nations swarmed over the southern Indian Ocean on Monday as the search for a missing Malaysian passenger plane was energised with mounting evidence of floating objects suspected to be linked to the plane.

France and China both released satellite information on the weekend that also indicated floating objects far off Australia's west coast -- findings that have buoyed hopes of a breakthrough in the more than two-week-old puzzle.

A growing international fleet of military and civilian aircraft has converged on the region, supported by Australian and British naval vessels tasked with retrieving any objects from the forbidding waters.

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 vanished without warning on March 8 after suddenly veering off course over the South China Sea en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 227 passengers and 12 crew.