PERTH - A Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P3 Orion has spotted objects in the search area for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, said the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).

"RNZAF Orion spotted objects in #MH370 search area, identity to be established. Soon to land @ RAAF Pearce. AMSA awaiting imagery,'' AMSA tweeted on Friday evening.

"Sightings need confirmation by ship - not expected until tomorrow,'' it added.

The latest sighting comes as the massive multi-nation search for MH370 switched focus to a new area on Friday after fresh analysis changed estimates of where the aircraft is believed to have crashed into the Indian Ocean.

Planes and ships raced to a fresh search zone after a "credible new lead" that the plane was flying faster than first thought before it plunged into the remote Indian Ocean.

Ten aircraft from six countries - Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and the United States - altered their flight paths to an area far off western Australia, about 1,100 kilometres north-east of where they had been searching in the past week.