Chinese official: No proof to link debris to jet

In this March 9, 2014 satellite image seen on the website of the Chinese State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, floating objects are seen at sea next to the red arrow which was added by the source. China’s Xinhua News Agency reported Wednesday that the images show suspected debris from the missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner floating off the southern tip of Vietnam. AP/Chinese State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense)

BEIJING — A senior Chinese aviation official said Thursday that the authorities could not confirm any link between the floating objects captured on Chinese satellite images to a Malaysia Airlines jet missing for more than five days.

“It is true that the satellite was launched and detected some smoke and what were suspected metal shreds about 37 kilometers (23 miles) southwest of Ho Chi Minh City,” said Li Jiaxiang, chief of the Civil Aviation Administration of China. “But after some review, we cannot confirm that they belong to the missing plane.”

The three objects of varying sizes were spotted in the sea off the southern tip of Vietnam and east of Malaysia on Sunday morning.

The plane carrying 239 people went missing Saturday morning while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.