Regional News
More Debris Found Believed to be from Flight MH370 on Island of Reunion
REUNION – A second piece of Debris described as the door of an airplane has been found on the north coast of Réunion Island, a local official on the island said on Sunday, offering potentially another clue to the disappearance of the long-missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
Discovery of an airplane door represents a potentially big breakthrough for investigators. The door should contain additional markings that would ease the process of determining a link to the missing Malaysia Flight 370.
Sunday’s finds included a 70cm metal sheet featuring Chinese symbols believed to be from a door, discovered by a passerby in Saint Denis, 15 miles (25km) from Saint-André, where the first piece of debris was found.
A source close to the investigation confirmed that several pieces of metallic debris had been found, although cautioned that nothing indicated it came from a plane. They refused to confirm any other details, including the presence of Chinese symbols.
In the wake of Wednesday’s discovery of what is believed to be the missing Boeing 777’s flaperon – a two-metre-long movable part on the trailing edge of the wing – the Malaysian government said on Sunday it wanted territories near Réunion to assist in the search for more debris.
Authorities immediately cordoned off the perimeter and the object was taken away for further analysis.
Malaysia’s Transport Ministry said earlier Sunday that the flaperon found on Wednesday came from a Boeing 777, the same aircraft type as Flight MH370. The statement echoes the view of aviation experts, who have said it appears to be the flaperon of a Boeing 777. French authorities will analyze the piece at a high-tech military lab near Toulouse starting on Wednesday.