EXPERTS have confirmed that the aircraft debris discovered on Reunion Island belongs to missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak announced early Thursday.
“Today, 515 days since the plane disappeared, it is with a very heavy heart that I must tell you that an international team of experts have conclusively confirmed that the aircraft debris found on Reunion Island is indeed from MH370,” said the prime minister, who added that the physical evidence proves that flight MH370 tragically ended in the southern Indian Ocean.
Najib also said the find marks a major breakthrough in resolving the mystery of the flight’s disappearance. He expected and hoped more objects would be found.
The prime minister said Malaysia remains dedicated to finding out what happened on board the flight. He also conveyed his “deepest sympathy and prayers” to the families of the victims.
“The burden and uncertainty faced by the families during this time has been unspeakable. It is my hope that this confirmation, however tragic and painful, will at least bring certainty to the families and loved ones of the 239 people on board MH370. They have our deepest sympathy and prayers,” he said.
Malaysia Airlines, meanwhile, said the find had been confirmed by the French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA), Malaysian investigators and the Australian Transportation Safety Bureau (ATSB).
The debris, identified as part of a Boeing 777 wing, was discovered on Reunion Island on July 29. Prior to the discovery, a massive surface and underwater hunt had failed to find evidence of the plane.
In one of the biggest mysteries in aviation history, the plane went missing on March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people of 14 nationalities on board. (Courtesy China Central Television news)