Aircraft Debris found in South Africa & Mozambique “Almost Certainly” from Missing Flight MH370

Two new pieces of debris that are suspected to have been part of Malaysia Airlines’ missing Flight MH370 Boeing 777 aircraft have been recovered on beaches in South Africa and Mozambique. This follows the recovery of two other pieces of debris found in the months prior to these new developments. Flight MH370, carrying 239 passengers and crew, mysteriously disappeared on March 8, 2014, prompting a 2-year, $70 million search for clues as to its fate.

The first object, now dubbed "part number 3", found on March 22 on a beach in South Africa’s Mossel Bay, is part of an engine cowling that has a portion of a Rolls Royce logo on it, that is key to its identification. "Part number 3 was initially identified from the partial Rolls-Royce stencil as a segment from an aircraft engine cowling. The panel thickness, materials and construction conformed to the applicable drawings for Boeing 777 engine cowlings," according to the report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

Part number 4 was recovered from a beach in Mozambique on March 30. It is a portion of decorative laminate from an interior panel, identified as a part used in Boeing 777 aircraft. "The part materials, dimensions, construction and fasteners were all consistent with the drawing for the panel assembly and matched that installed on other MAB Boeing 777 aircraft at the Door R1 location," according to the ATSB’s report.

These parts unfortunately do no carry a form of individual identification, such as part or serial numbers, meaning that a definitive link between them and the missing aircraft cannot be made. However, all other Boeing 777 aircraft have been accounted for, making Flight MH370 the best candidate as the source for the debris. While the scant evidence found thus far points to the aircraft having been destroyed, the circumstances behind its loss remain a mystery.