MH370 families call for wider search after suspected debris found in Mozambique

Aviation experts from Malaysia, Australia and the US are examining the object to determine if it's a part of the missing Boeing 77.

The discovery of an object suspected to be part of a plane's horizontal stabiliser in waters of the Mozambique Channel has fired speculation that it's from the missing Malaysian airlines plane MH370.

Aviation experts and investigators from Malaysia, Australia and the US are examining the object, which washed up on a sandbank off the African nation, to determine if it's a part of the missing Boeing 777.

The discovery comes days before the second anniversary of the plane's mysterious missing. MH370 was lost on March 8, 2014.

Families of travellers on the ill fated plane have renewed calls for searching the coastline of Africa after suspected debris was found.

"This requires that the coastlines of Mozambique, Madagascar and substantial distances to the North and South be scoured thoroughly to ensure all the debris are (sic) collected and analysed," a statement released by families said.

"We urge states with assets in the East Coast of Africa to support such an effort. We also seek support from naval powers to supply search assets that allow searches closer to uninhabited/ swampy portions of the coast to be searched effectively."

Malaysian authorities said people should refrain from speculations, adding that the government was investigating the new finding. Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said there was a "high possibility" that the debris was from MH370.

In July, a flaperon was discovered on the French island of Réunion, which has remained the only piece of debris verified to be from the missing plane.

In January last year, almost a year after the plane went missing with 239 passengers and crew, Malaysia declared Flight MH370 was lost in an accident and that all on board were presumed dead.

READ MORE