Debris from Reunion island sparks MH370 speculation

Kuala Lumpur, July 30

Wreckage washed up on a remote Indian Ocean island is “very likely from a Boeing 777”, the same model as MH370 that mysteriously vanished over a year ago with 239 people including five Indians on board, and will be sent to France to determine whether it is from the same plane.

“Initial reports suggest that the debris is very likely to be from a Boeing 777, but we need to verify whether it is from flight MH370,” Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak wrote on his Facebook page today.

Malaysia’s Deputy Transport Minister Abdul Aziz Kaprawi earlier said it was “almost certain” that the wreckage was from a Boeing 777 aircraft.

The statements come a day after members of a local clean- up association found a 2.7-metres long and 0.9-metre wide flaperon, a wing component, on the French island of La Reunion off the east coast of Africa.

Part of a bag with closed zip was found near the debris today, fuelling speculation it may be from the ill-fated Boeing 777-200 of Malaysia Airlines that went off radars on March 8, 2014, one hour into the flight to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur.

The latest discovery of the debris could rest all speculation in one of the most baffling mysteries in aviation history and finally determine the fate of the people on board.The wreckage would be shipped to Toulouse. — PTI