Cover image via ReutersOn 6 August, Malaysian PM Najib Razak confirmed that a 6-foot long wing flap discovered on Réunion Island is indeed from the missing Flight MH370
Image via AP
However, his statement is being met with skepticism from some family members of those onboard MH370, especially after French and Australian officials report conflicting views on the origin of the wing flap.
Serge Mackowiak, a deputy prosecutor in France, did not outright confirm Najib's statement, merely saying that there is a "very high probability" that the wing flap is from MH370 and that more analysis will be conducted from Thursday onwards to confirm the part's origin.
Paris deputy prosecutor Serge Mackowiak holds a press conference on the Malaysia Airlines MH370 flight in Paris, France.
Image via AP / Jacques DeMarthon
The Australian government, who've been leading search efforts for MH370, is also less certain about the part originating from the missing plane.
An anonymous official alleged that Malaysia was not supposed to make the announcement before getting the evidence to back the conclusive statement.
Australian Transport Minister Warren Truss pointed out that while the French inquiry "has not been quite so conclusive", the Malaysian government had the right to make that call as they are in charge of the investigation
Image via The Guardian
Malaysia Airlines (MAS) appeared to have confirmed the find, saying that the "major breakthrough" was jointly confirmed by the French, Malaysian, and Australian investigation teams. The company also said that family members of passengers and crew have been informed accordingly. Read the full statement here:
Certainty of the wing flap's origin aside, MAS' statement brought forward another set of problems as family members of those onboard denied having being informed of the confirmation before it was announced and covered by the media.
Intan Maizura Othaman, the wife of air steward Hazrin Mohamed Hasnan, posted the following shot on Instagram, alleging that MAS did not inform any of their family members as they'd claimed in their statement.
Image via Instagram @intanmaizuraothaman
New Zealander Sara Weeks, whose brother Paul Weeks was aboard the flight, said the same thing. She found out about the confirmation the same way Paul's wife Danica did – from the media.
Image via The Guardian
She also remarked on the contradictary statements from foreign authorities, adding that the family is upset and will need a lot more information from unanswered questions to bring about any form of closure to the matter
Families and relatives in China – where two-thirds of passengers are from – are also expressing their anger and frustration, having remained skeptical of Malaysia's confirmation due to conflicting statements from France and Australia
ao Lanfang, second from right, whose daughter-in-law, son, and granddaughter were aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, kneels in grief while speaking to journalists outside the company's offices in Beijing, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2015.
Image via AP Photo / Mark Schiefelbein
Image via Jeremy Koh
About 20 Chinese passenger relatives protested outside Malaysia Airlines' offices in Beijing, unconvinced that the plane part belongs to MH370 and believing that the whole thing is a "political conspiracy"
Image via Reuters / Jason Lee
Image via AFP / Goh Chai Hin
