300 objects spotted by satellite

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA A Thai satellite has detected about 300 objects floating in the Indian Ocean a day after a French satellite showed that 122 objects were floating near the search area for the missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner.

Anond Snidvongs, director of Thailand's space technology development agency, said Thursday the images showed “300 objects of various sizes" in the southern Indian Ocean about 1,675 miles southwest of Perth.

Anond said the objects were about 125 miles from the area where a French satellite Sunday spotted 122 objects. It remains uncertain whether the objects are from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared March 8 with 239 people aboard.

For the first time in several weeks, Malaysian officials decided not to hold a daily news conference Thursday.

Earlier, searchers aboard planes and ships on Thursday failed to find any of the objects captured by satellite as possible debris from the downed Malaysian airlines jet, as heavy rain, winds and low clouds forced the aircraft to return to the base after only a few hours.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said all 11 planes that headed for the search area in the southern Indian Ocean earlier Thursday were returning to Perth. It said the area about 1,550 miles southwest of Perth was hit by inclement weather that reduced visibility, but added that five ships would stay to try to continue the hunt.