ABOARD HAIXUN 01 -- Multiple floating objects were spotted by patrol aircraft in area where Australian ship Ocean Shield detected suspicious signals, officials at Chinese patrol ship Haixun 01 said Wednesday.

Haixun 01 is heading to an area of about 75,000 square kilometers where the objects were spotted at about 20 degrees south latitude and 98 degrees east longitude, to assist in the search for the missing Malaysian jet MH370.

The Chinese officials aboard Haixun 01 said they were informed of the latest sighting of floating objects by Australia's Joint Agency Coordination Center (JACC) late Tuesday night,

Chinese rescue ship Nanhaijiu 115 and Chinese naval vessel 998 are already in the area for the search mission, they added.