Australian authorities said they believe they have spotted two objects in the Indian Ocean that could be connected to the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 which disappeared 11 days ago over the South China Sea.

CNN reports the announcement about the objects came from Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.



"New and credible information has come to light in relation to the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean," Abbott said in the Australian House of Representatives. "The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has received information based on satellite imagery of objects possibly related to the search.

"Following specialist analysis of this satellite imagery, two possible objects related to the search have been identified. I can inform the House that a Royal Australian Air Force Orion has been diverted to attempt to locate the objects."

Three other planes will carry out a more intensive follow-up search, he said.

The objects were seen in the South Indian Ocean in the area that's part of the expanded search for the missing plane.

Air traffic controllers lost Flight 370's signal about two hours after the Boeing 777-200 airliner took off from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on its way to Beijing with 239 people aboard. Four of the plane's passengers are Americans.

It was later revealed the plane's communication devices were disabled and the plane appeared to change direction and fly for several hours.

Previous reports that debris related to the plane turned out to be false.

Update: In a press conference held after the Prime Minister's announcement, Australian Maritime Safety Authority Emergency Response Division General Manager John Young said the images of the objects were captured by satellites and then evaluated by geospatial experts. The objects were found south of the search area that's been examined since Monday.

Commercial satellites are being refocused to the area to assist in the search.

Four aircraft are being diverted to the area. Included is a U.S. Navy Poseidon, a patrol aircraft that has been assisting with the search.

Visibility in the area where the debris was seen is poor and officials warned that can hamper satellite imagery and on-site searchers.

Young said the objects may be difficult to find and warns "they may not be related to the search." Experts described them as "credible sighting," Young said, of "reasonable size" and floating on the top of the water.