MH370: Wing of a plane found on Reunion Island

The Star reported today that Malaysia has sent a team to Reunion Island off the east coast of Africa to determine whether washed-up debris may be from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, believed to have crashed in the Indian Ocean last year.

The Boeing 777 carrying 239 passengers and crew from Kuala Lumpur, bound for Beijing, disappeared on 8 March last year. Most of the passengers were Chinese. So far no trace of the plane has been found.

MH370 vanished from radar screens shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur. Investigators believe it was flown thousands of kilometers off course before crashing. Its disappearance has become one of the biggest mysteries in aviation history.

Search efforts led by Australia have focused on a broad expanse of the southern Indian Ocean.


Debris that is probably from a plane has washed up on Reunion Island off the east coast of Africa, sparking questions whether it is from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.

It was reported that a mysterious piece of plane debris washed up on the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion on Wednesday, prompting some speculation it could be part of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.



The two-metre-long piece of wreckage, which seemed to be part of a wing, was found by people cleaning up a beach.

“It was covered in shells, so one would say it had been in the water a long time,” said one witness.

French air transport officials have already opened a probe to investigate where the wreckage could have come from.

Xavier Tytelman, an expert in aviation security, said it could not be ruled out that the wreckage belonged to MH370, which vanished without trace in March last year.

Tytelman noted that local media photos showed “incredible similarities between a #B777 flaperon and the debris found,” refering to a Boeing 777 -- the type of plane that disappeared.

He also noted a reference on the wreckage: BB670.

“This code is not a plane’s registration number, nor serial number. However... it’s clear that this reference would allow a quick identification. In a few days, we will have a definitive answer,” Tytelman said.

Boeing said in a statement it remained “committed to supporting the MH370 investigation and the search for the airplane”.
Source: The Star..Mysterious plane wreckage sparks MH370 speculation


However, it's too early to speculate origin of debris, says MAS

PETALING JAYA: The public has been asked not to speculate on the origins of a piece of plane debris found on Reunion Island off the east coast Africa.

"With regards to the reports of the discovery of an aircraft flaperon at Reunion Island, Malaysia Airlines is working with the relevant authorities to confirm the matter," said the airline in a brief press statement Thursday.

"At the moment, it would be too premature for the airline to speculate the origin of the flaperon," it said.


You can read more about the mystery of MH370 here.


Update: 31/7/2015
- MH370: Debris confirmed to be from Boeing 777
- MH370: Then I saw the 'weird thing' on shore, says debris finder
- Australia plays down MH370 luggage link