BEIJING, March 10 -- Chinese marine police rescuers have found oil slicks in waters around the search site for a missing Malaysian plane and have sent samples to relevant authorities for analysis.

Marine Police 3411, a Chinese marine police vessel searching for the missing Beijing-bound plane, reached the search area on Sunday afternoon, and samples from the oil slicks were sent via proper channels on Monday at noon, according to a brief statement from China's marine police bureau.

Efforts have been made to ensure the samples reach relevant organs at the earliest possible time, the bureau said.

However, the statement provided no detail on whether the samples will be sent back to China or to the nearest lab.

Contact with Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was lost along with its radar signal at 1:20 a.m. Beijing time on Saturday as it was flying over the Ho Chi Minh City air traffic control area in Vietnam.

The flight was carrying 12 crew members and 227 passengers, including more than 150 Chinese.