Liow: Debris confirmed from MH370

Third piece verified to be from the ill-fated plane

PETALING JAYA: Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has confirmed that the piece of debris recovered from Mauritius in April originated from the missing Flight MH370.

“Examination of the item of composite debris recovered on the island of Mauritius has been completed by experts from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB),” Liow said in a statement yesterday.

He said, according to the analysis by the ATSB, with the concurrence of the MH370 Safety Investigation Team, part numbers on the piece of debris identified it as originating from MH370.

“From a part number found on a section of the debris, the piece has been identified as a trailing edge splice strap, incorporated into the rear spar assembly of a Boeing 777 left outboard flap.

“Adjacent to the part number was a second part identifier. The flap manufacturer supplied records indicating that this work order number was incorporated into the outboard flap shipset line number 404.

“This corresponds to the Boeing 777 aircraft line number 404, registered as 9M-MRO (MH370),” said Liow.

As such, he said the experts concluded that the debris belonged to the missing plane.

“This marks the latest piece of debris that has been examined, analysed and confirmed to have originated from MH370, following the confirmation of the Tanzania debris last month,” he said.

He expressed his appreciation to the authorities of Mauritius and Australia for their support and assistance in the investigation.

Flight MH370, which was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing disappeared on March 8, 2014, along with the 239 passengers and crew on board.

This is the third confirmed piece of debris from the missing plane.

In July 2015, a flaperon piece washed up on La Reunion island, east of Madagascar.

Investigators have also confirmed that a large wing flap, which was found in June 2016 in Pemba Island off the coast of Tanzania, originated from the plane.

Investigators are still trying to confirm four debris pieces, which they have said almost certainly belongs to MH370; a tail horizontal stabiliser and stenciled stabiliser panel found in Mozambique in December 2015 and February 2016, an engine cowling with the RollRoyce logo found in South Africa in March 2016 and a door panel found in Mauritius in March 2016.

More recently, two tourists have come forward to claim that they also have found pieces of the plane in Madagascar and in Kangaroo Island, Australia in June.