Chinese satellite finds debris at suspected missing plane site

A Chinese satellite has found three floating objects at a suspected site of the missing Malaysian Airlines plane, the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND) said.  [Special coverage]

The administration said on Wednesday evening that the objects were monitored in the South China Sea at 6.7 degrees north latitude and 105.63 degrees east longitude, spreading across an area with a radius of 20 kilometers.

The satellite images, which were captured around 11 a.m. on Sunday, showed that the objects measured 13 by 18 meters, 14 by 19 meters and 24 by 22 meters respectively.

The images are being analyzed, according to the SASTIND.

The plane has been missing for over five days since contact with it was lost early on Saturday. It was flying over the Ho Chi Minh air traffic control area in Vietnam and carrying 227 passengers, including 154 Chinese.

China has employed 10 satellites to provide technological support in attempts to locate the missing Boeing 777-200, which was expected to land in Beijing at 6:30 a.m. local time on Saturday.