Two ships were sent on Sunday to verify whether the pulse signal detected by Chinese vessel Haixun 01 were related to the black box of missing Flight MH370, the search chief said.

"HMS Echo and Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield are also being directed to join Haixun 01 as expeditiously as possible to assist with either discounting or confirming the detecting," Angus Houston, head of Australia's Joint Agency Coordination Center, told reporters at a press conference.

Houston said Ocean Shield, equipped with a U.S.-supplied pinger-locater, also picked up suspicious pulse signals in a separate location.

A black box detector deployed by Chinese patrol ship Haixun 01 on Saturday detected a pulse signal with a frequency of 37.5 kHz per second at around 25 degrees south latitude and 101 degrees east.

However, the signal has not been confirmed as related to the missing jet, China Maritime Search and Rescue Center said.

A Chinese military aircraft also spotted white floating objects in the remote southern Indian Ocean west of Perth Saturday.

Whether the signal or the objects were related to the missing flight remained unconfirmed, Houston said.

Up to 10 military planes, 2 civil planes and 13 ships were assisting in Sunday's search after the new development, which was described by Houston as "an important and encouraging lead."

Adding to the hope, Houston said new correction of satellite data has shifted Sunday's search priority to the southern part of the designated area in the Indian Ocean.

"The whole of the existing search area remains the most likely area that the aircraft entered the water, but based on the new advice the southern area now has a higher priority," Houston said.

Haixun 01 is operating in that area, which is of highest probability, he added.