In March 2014, the whole world was stunned when a Boeing 777-200ER, carrying 12 Malaysian crew members and 227 passengers suddenly disappeared as it crashed in crashed in the Indian Ocean, south west of Australia.
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The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) confirmed on Thursday, the piece found in South Africa earlier this year is from engine cowling featuring a Rolls-Royce stencil.
The debris – part of an engine cover displaying the insignia of the British jet engine manufacturer, Rolls-Royce and a cabin panel -were found in March by people wandering the beaches.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau says Malaysian investigators are in contact with government agencies in South Africa, Mozambique and Mauritius over any further debris that may wash up on these countries’ beaches.
Liow said the search teams would not shift the search area as, based on debris stumbled upon recently, it was confirmed that the search was going in the right direction.
FILE – In this March 6, 2016, file photo, well wishes are written on a wall of hope during a remembrance event for the ill fated Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Since the disappearance of the plane, underwater search has been held swiping over 105,000 kilometers on the Indian Ocean.
The other piece found on 30 March in Mauritius is nearly certain from MH370’s main cabin.
Three ships are searching a 120,000 sq km area of the southern Indian Ocean but have so far found no trace of the plane.
The piece of debris that tourists discovered in March on Rodrigues Island in Mauritius was different than the other four: This one had a pattern that appeared to come from a wall inside the plane. With the newly found debris pieces, the total of parts discovered from the flight 370 comes to five.
Ron Bishop, head of aviation at Central Queensland University, said the debris may help the investigation in a less direct way: by leading to more debris discoveries.
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Worldwide investigators have combed through more than 40,000 square miles searching for clues. The sweep of the area is expected to be finished by the end of June.
