Melbourne/Kuala Lumpur : Australian and Malaysian Prime Ministers voiced confidence in solving MH370’s “baffling mystery”, a day after Malaysia confirmed the plane debris washed up on an Indian Ocean island was from the ill-fated jet that vanished last year with 239 people aboard.
“What we have found in the West Indian Ocean does seem to indicate that the plane did come down more or less where we thought it did and it suggests for the first time we might be a little bit closer to solve this baffling mystery,” said Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot.
His remarks came a day after Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak in a late last night announcement said that a team of international investigators had confirmed in France that the piece of wreckage was from MH370. Malaysia Airlines called the confirmation as a “major breakthrough” in solving the mystery of the flight’s disappearance that has made little headway despite a multi- nation search led by Australia for the Boeing 777 since last year. In a Facebook post today, Najib said he was optimistic. “It has been more than a year but I still remain hopeful. As new evidence and clues emerge, God willing, we will find #MH370,” he wrote.
Najib assured those affected by the tragedy that the Malaysian government was committed to find out the truth behind what could have happened to the missing Boeing 777 that disappeared mid air on March 8 last year with 239 people on board, including five Indians. Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai had said the conclusion was reached as the technical details of the flaperon matched the airlines records. “From our first observation, the colour tone and all maintenance records that we have, we know. Our records show that it’s the same as MH370,” Liow said, adding that there are “many other technical details that I do not have to reveal” but that confirm the part is from Flight 370.
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Airlines calls proof a major breakthrough
Malaysia Airlines said the confirmation that debris found on an Indian Ocean island came from flight MH370 was a “major breakthrough” in solving the mystery of the flight’s disappearance.
“This is indeed a major breakthrough for us in resolving the disappearance of MH370 and we expect and hope that there would be more objects to be found which would be able to help resolve this mystery,” said a statement by the airline, quoted by the official Bernama news agency. “Moving forward, Malaysia Airlines’ priority will be to continue providing the latest updates and information to the families and will fully cooperate with the relevant authorities on the investigation and recovery of this tragic accident,” the airline statement said.
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Natasha Chaku
