Malaysian authorities on Thursday confirmed that a large piece of aircraft debris found on the island of Pemba, off the coast of Tanzania, in June, was from the missing Malaysia Airlines jet MH370, Reuters reported. Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said the piece, an outboard flap, will undergo further investigation.
The Boeing 777 was flying, with 239 people on-board, from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it was went missing in March 2014. Search operations over the past two years have resulted in the discovery of only a few leads. Last year, officials confirmed a pieced of debris found on the French island of Reunion as part of the missing plane. Other pieces of debris found in Mozambique, South Africa and Rodrigues Island, a territory of Mauritius are also being examined.
The Malaysian government recently announced that the hunt for the missing aircraft would be suspended if it was not found in its current search area. Ministers from Australia, Malaysia and China reportedly met in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the future of the search operation that has been on for two years now. Approximately $137 million (Rs 912 crore) has been spent on the search till now, making it the most expensive hunt in aviation history.
Dutch company Fugro, which has been searching for debris from the missing jet, said it is likely they have been looking in the wrong part of the Indian Ocean for the past two years.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!