KUALA LUMPUR — A French satellite detected images in the southern Indian Ocean that could be related to the search for a Malaysian passenger jet that went missing more than two weeks ago, Malaysia's Transport Ministry says.

"This morning, Malaysia received new satellite images from the French authorities showing potential objects in the vicinity of the southern corridor," the ministry says. "Malaysia immediately relayed these images to the Australian rescue coordination center."

The statement did not give details about what the "potential objects" spotted by the French satellite might be.