According to Malaysian officials, China is investigating new satellite images of debris in the southern Indian Ocean, potentially from missing flight MH370.
Malaysia’s Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein read out the news as he was handed it during at his daily briefing, saying one element of debris was 30m by 22m.
He said the Chinese government would give more details on Saturday.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 dropped out of contact an hour after leaving Kuala Lumpur for Beijing on March 8 carrying 239 people.
Hishammuddin Hussein broke off the question and answer segment of his briefing in Kuala Lumpur to say: “The news that I just received is that the Chinese ambassador received satellite image of floating objects in the southern corridor and they will be sending ships to verify.”
He added: “Beijing is expected to make an announcement in a few hours.”
China is one of 26 nations involved in the search for flight MH370. Most of those on board the plane were Chinese nationals.
Planes and vessels are already searching the southern Indian Ocean following earlier satellite images this week that detected possible debris 1,550 miles south-west of Perth in Australia.
