BEIJING — The multinational hunt for Flight MH370 resumed Wednesday across a remote stretch of the Indian Ocean as Malaysia said that new satellite images have identified 122 new potential plane-
related objects in the water.
Hishammuddin Hussein, Malaysia’s acting transport minister, cautioned that the new satellite images supplied by France have not been linked to the missing jetliner, although they do represent a new lead, he said.
He said the objects were seen close to where three other satellites previously detected objects and that taken together the sightings are “the most credible lead that we have.” Hishammuddin said the objects ranged in length from one meter (yard) to 23 meters (25 yards) and that some appeared to be brightly colored, suggesting they may be made of solid materials.
A total of 12 planes and two ships from the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand were participating in the search, hoping to find even a single piece of the Malaysia Airlines jet that could offer tangible evidence of a crash.
Weather conditions were improved after high winds, heavy seas and poor visibility forced a suspension of the search a day earlier.
Malaysia announced earlier this week that a mathematical analysis of the final known satellite signals from the plane had proved beyond doubt it gone down in the sea, taking the lives of all 239 people on board.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau told The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that its engineering and aviation experts will soon leave Perth on an Australian navy vessel in an effort to identify any debris located in the search area. That development would mark the first time that air-crash investigation experts have taken part in the massive search operation.