A new search area may be opened up in the Indian Ocean, as authorities try to trace the whereabouts of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight.

The latest from Su Yi.

The White House has alluded to the opening of a new search grid in the Indian Ocean following reports via Malaysian authorities that they may have recorded several "pings" from engine data transmitted to satellites up to five hours after the last transponder signal was recorded.

These reports have suggested plane may have flown toward the Indian Ocean.

This would be in the opposite direction of the plane's planned route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

However, Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein is moving to downplay these reports.

"The last transmission from the aircraft was at 01:07 which indicated that everything was normal. Rolls Royce and Boeing teams are here in Kuala Lumpur and have worked with MAS and investigation teams since Sunday. These issues have never been raised. Whenever there are new details, they must be corroborated. Since today's media reports, MAS has asked Rolls Royce and Boeing specifically about the data. As far as Rolls Royce and Boeing are concerned, those reports are inaccurate."

Rolls Royce engines aboard the Boeing 777 automatically sent data to the engine manufacture as part of a maintenance program.

This has led to speculation the transponder of the plane may have somehow been turned off.

At the same time, Malaysian authorities say they've found no evidence of floating objects thought to have been detected by a Chinese satellite the day after the plane disappeared.

A search yesterday of the area has turned up no evidence of debris.

Amid all this conflicting information, the Chinese government has vowed not to give up the searching for the plane.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, speaking to reporters following the conclusion of the annual legislative sessions yesterday, says every clue to the disappearance of flight MH570 will be investigated.

"This is an international and large-scale search operation involving many countries. The Chinese government has asked relevant parties to enhance coordination, investigate the cause, locate the missing Malaysia Airlines plane and properly handle all related matters."

Over 80 ships and planes from 12 different countries are now combing the waters on both sides of the Malaysian peninsula in the search for the missing plane.

The Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, with 239-passangers and crew onboard, disappeared about an hour after takeoff early Saturday morning.

154 onboard are Chinese.