Data from a high-resolution sonar scan using an autonomous underwater vehicle revealed possible items, mostly only about the size of a cricket ball, some 3,900 meters underwater.
While the debris field appeared to be of man-made origin, it failed to have all the characteristics of a typical aircraft debris field so authorities sent down an underwater camera which discovered the shipwreck.
"It's a fascinating find," said Peter Foley, director of the operational search for MH370. "But it's not what we are looking for."
Foley said officials were not pausing in the search for MH370, whose disappearance is one of aviation's great mysteries.
"And this event has really demonstrated that the systems, people and the equipment involved in the search are working well. It's shown that if there's a debris field in the search area, we'll find it," he added.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 flight disappeared on March 8 on a night journey from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
No wreckage of the Boeing 777-200, which was carrying 239 people, has ever been found.
