AFP | Inset shows the triangular piece of debris, possibly from flight MH370, that washed up on the Mozambique coast. -AFP Photo (File Photo)
LIOW TIONG LAI
KUALA LUMPUR: Experts have confirmed that the two pieces of debris discovered in South Africa and the Mauritian Island of Rodrigues are almost certainly from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
The Minister of Transport, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the confirmation was made following the completion of examinations of an engine cowling piece with a partial Rolls-Royce logo and an interior panel piece from an aircraft cabin by a team of international experts in Australia.
“Following a thorough examination, the Malaysian International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annex 13 Safety Investigation Team has concluded that both pieces of debris are consistent with panels found on a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 aircraft.
“As such, the team has confirmed that both pieces of debris are almost certainly from MH370,” he said in statement here, today.
According to Liow, this confirmation complements the results from the previous examination in March during which the team confirmed that the Mozambique debris were almost certainly from MH370.
He also said that the governments of Malaysia, Australia and China would continue to be wholly committed to the search for MH370 and that more than 105,000 square kilometres of the search area had been completed to date.
“We wish to express our sincere gratitude to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), Geoscience Australia and Boeing for their undivided commitment and assistance in this examination process,” he added.
Flight MH370, carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew, disappeared from the radar during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014.– Bernama