MH370 search signal 'important lead'

Phoenix International personnel, Mike Unzicker an0d Chris Minor deploy the towed pinger locator off the deck of the Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield in the southern Indian Ocean during the search for the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder of the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 in this picture released by the Australian Defence Force yesterday. Photo: Reuters

Both vessels have technology able to detect underwater signals emitted by data recorders.

In addition, a dozen military aircraft and 13 ships are already searching three areas about 2,000 km (1,240 miles) north-west of the Australian city of Perth.

They will cover some 216,000 sq km on Sunday.

Flight MH370 disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing four weeks ago with 239 people on board.

The plane is believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean, although no confirmed debris has been found.