Search planes leave base near Perth on Sunday to resume their hunt for missing Flight MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean.

But Australia's prime minister tony Abbott says they now have another possible lead to go on.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER TONY ABBOTT SAYING:

"Yesterday one of our search, civilian, aircraft got visuals of a number of objets in a fairly small area in the overall Australian search zone. Finally the search is being joined today by four additional aircraft - two Chinese aircraft and two Japanese Orions."

As with previous sightings of floating objects there's nothing yet to connect them to the missing Malaysia Airlines jet and its 239 passengers and crew.

But Abbott says the development is a cause for hope at least.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER TONY ABBOTT SAYING:

"It's still too early to be definitive but obviously we have now had a number of very credible leads. There is increasing hope