Officials said it was too dark to be certain the objects were from the Boeing aircraft that was carrying 239 people.
“They have located the position of the areas and flown back to the land.”
Interpol investigators last night slammed airport security after it emerged up to four passengers had boarded with stolen European passports.
Two were reported travelling on the stolen passports of Italian tourist Luigi Maraldi, 37, and of an Austrian citizen.
Investigators are also probing whether the jet came apart at 35,000ft, suggesting an explosion on board, and was destroyed before it hit the ocean.
A source revealed: “The fact that we are unable to find any debris so far indicates that the aircraft is likely to have disintegrated.”
The tragedy comes a week after 33 people were knifed to death and 130 wounded by Islamic militants at a railway station in south-west China.
