The plane debris found on an island near Madagascar today has people speculating that it could be the remains of Malaysian Airlines flight 370. You may recall that in March of 2014, MH370 went missing and the mystery to find it (as well as learning the fate of those aboard) captivated cable news for weeks on end.
So is the debris found today from MH370? Maybe.
These are images taken earlier today:
Plane debris found in Indian Ocean fuels speculation — is it MH370? http://t.co/FePQXmPcWm pic.twitter.com/T2vYCGeetf
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 29, 2015
Could This Plane Debris Found in the Indian Ocean Be from Flight MH370? http://t.co/3SkoDOdAJT pic.twitter.com/7whAAebHu0
— VICE (@VICE) July 29, 2015
BREAKING: Reunion debris confirmed to be a plane, investigators checking if it's MH370 http://t.co/5U6ttXnn6M pic.twitter.com/TS5DfW825Z
— Breaking News Feed (@PzFeed) July 29, 2015
French investigators are looking into whether the debris is from MH370, but one anonymous U.S. official has already helped ramp up the speculation:
BREAKING: US official: Debris in photo belongs to same type of aircraft as the missing Malaysia plane.
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 29, 2015
One aviation expert certainly thinks it’s MH370. He tweeted this comparison between what a B777 wing looks like and what the debris found today looks like:
Similitudes incroyables entre le flaperon d'un #B777 et le débris retrouvé ce matin à #LaReunion… #MH370 ? pic.twitter.com/GDkzRLwi2h
— Xavier Tytelman (@PeurAvion) July 29, 2015
And he even told The Telegraph, “I’ve been studying hundreds of photos and speaking to colleagues. And we all think it is likely that the wing is that of a Boeing 777 – the same plane as MH370. Police in Reunion examining the wreckage say that it looks like it’s been in the water for around a year, which again would fit with MH370. We can’t say for certainty, but we do think there is a chance that this is it.”
Wall Street Journal aerospace reporter threw in his two cents:
The debris photo is NOT a piece of a wing, if it is from a jetliner it looks like a piece of a flap. #MH370 https://t.co/R8ybVXePw8
— Jon Ostrower (@jonostrower) July 29, 2015
The Boeing 777 has a single-piece outboard and a two-piece inboard flap system. #MH370 pic.twitter.com/oNpkXJvuUx
— Jon Ostrower (@jonostrower) July 29, 2015
For those of you watching at home, Reunion Island is REALLY, REALLY, REALLY far from where search teams have been looking for #MH370.
— Jon Ostrower (@jonostrower) July 29, 2015
And a flight instructor on Twitter also urged some caution:
Crashes closer to Reunion Island than #MH370 included B767 & B747. Resist "confirmation bias" – check alternatives. #aviation
— Ian Kluft (@ikluft) July 29, 2015
Online search I found alternatives nearer to Reunion than #MH370: B747 Air India 855, B747 South African 295, B767 Ethiopian 961. #aviation
— Ian Kluft (@ikluft) July 29, 2015
Another possible alternative to #MH370 on Reunion Island aircraft debris: A310 Yemenia 626 (2009) at Comoros Is. #aviation
— Ian Kluft (@ikluft) July 29, 2015
Reunion Is aircraft debris 500km/300mi from 1987 SA295 B747 crash. (Map via @GCMap) #MH370 #aviation pic.twitter.com/bYcp0d0jpI
— Ian Kluft (@ikluft) July 29, 2015
So basically, it could be MH370, but there have been other plane crashes in the area, so the debris could possibly be from one of those.
Update- 9:56 pm EST: Malaysia Airlines put out a statement tonight saying they’re working to confirm whether it’s MH370:
Malaysia Airlines statement on wreckage found: 'Working with the relevant authorities to confirm the matter' #MH370 pic.twitter.com/b1Vq4EzAhT
— Dan Linden (@DanLinden) July 30, 2015
[image via screengrab]
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