Debris that has been located on the island of La Reunion, washed up from the Indian Ocean, has now been confirmed as the remnants of missing Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 – the plane that disappeared in March 2014.
Experts are hoping that the items washed ashore will provide clues as to what happened to the plane that day. The flaperon, which was the first piece of debris to be located, is also the first piece of physical evidence investigators have found.
“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 is indeed from MH370,” Prime Minister Najib Razak announced in a televised statement. “We now have physical evidence that … Flight MH370 tragically ended in the Southern Indian Ocean.”
“This is a remote, inhospitable and dangerous area, and on behalf of Malaysia, I would like to thank the many nations, organizations and individuals who have participated in the search,” Razak said. “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.”
Although Prime Minister Razak urges that the investigation is continuing, thanks to this new piece of evidence, the cause of the crash is still unknown.
