France conducts search for MH370 debris around Reunion

Police carry a piece of debris from an unidentified aircraft, now believed to be of flight MH370, in the coastal area of Saint-Andre de la Reunion, in the east of the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion, on July 29, 2015.

Police officers with the coastguard service were also helping in the search at sea around the country’s main island, as well as around more remote islands, including the Agalega islands, some 1,000km northwards. 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 onboard MH370.

The group had asked for a Malaysian government official to attend, “but nobody showed up”, said Wen Wancheng, whose son was on the flight.

The official — who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the difference of opinion — said the Malaysian government owes it to the public and the families of those on the plane to reveal what it knows and to deliver the news first.

France has launched a fresh search operation off the island of Reunion for more debris belonging to the doomed Malaysia Airlines flight, MH370, according to a military officer.

“We suspect that the plane wreckage could be faked”, said Liu Kun, whose younger brother was on the plane.

“The finding of this piece of wing gives us hope that we are searching in the right location, given the tides and currents and drift patterns”, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told Australian television from Malaysia.

Separately, local authorities for the island district where the first piece of debris was found said they would organise a thorough search for other parts from the plane starting on Monday.

Malaysia says it has conclusively confirmed the component, known as a flaperon, is from MH370 through characteristics that match Malaysia Airlines’ maintenance records for the lost Boeing 777, including a serial number and a maintenance seal. Opposition policymaker Liew Chin Tong said in a statement that transport minister Liow Tiong Lai must explain “the haste and hurry” to declare the wreckage came from Flight 370.

Authorities have mainly focused their search in the Indian Ocean near Australia.

Zhang Yongli, whose daughter was on the plane, similarly voiced her anguish, anger and distrust.

French government officials have not addressed the conflicting information coming from Malaysia. Under the Montreal Convention, an global aviation agreement, airlines must offer about $US175,000 per passenger after an accident regardless of whether the airlines are at fault.

“Following a request from the president and the prime minister, and to meet the needs of the inquiry, we have decided to deploy additional air and sea resources to establish the possible presence of new debris off Réunion”, it said. “And Malaysia is the relevant country to arrange it”.

But some relatives who have consistently criticised Malaysia’s handling of the crisis, particularly in China where most of the passengers were from, refused to believe the wing part was from the plane.