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Physical evidence / MH370

Debris is evidence.
Its limits matter.

Recovered components help constrain the investigation. They do not, on their own, explain every event aboard the aircraft.

What has been identified

The Réunion flaperon and the right outboard wing flap recovered at Pemba Island are central examples in the official debris record. Other items have been assessed at different levels of confidence. “Confirmed,” “almost certain,” and “likely” should not be used interchangeably.

Identified component

Réunion flaperon

A right-wing control surface found in July 2015 and identified as belonging to MH370. Read the official investigation documents for the identification evidence.

Identified component

Pemba Island wing flap

A section of the right outboard wing flap recovered in 2016 and examined as part of the investigation. The earlier site incorrectly called it a left-wing flap.

Varying confidence

Other recovered fragments

Assessment depends on the specific item and its identifying features. Consult the report’s item-by-item conclusions before assigning a confidence label.

What drift analysis contributes

Drift modelling compares possible ocean origins with the places and times debris was recovered. It helps evaluate search hypotheses; it does not identify a single confirmed wreck location.

What the fragments cannot settle

The condition of a component must be assessed in its investigative context. It is not a complete record of cockpit events or a standalone basis for assigning responsibility. The main wreckage and recorders remain essential to resolving the disappearance.

Correction · 17 October 2026

A December 2024 South African “confirmed wing panel” entry has been removed from the verified list because this review did not establish a supporting official confirmation. The earlier categorical claim about a high-speed impact has also been replaced with a description of the evidence’s limits.

Three confirmed components in the 2018 report

2018 report · printed page 392 / PDF page 438 ↗ · Findings · printed page 435 / PDF page 481 ↗

These are the report’s historical confirmations. They are not a claim that a new component has been confirmed in 2026.

Check the record

Sources & further reading

  1. ATSB · Investigation and debris examination reports ↗

    Includes the search and debris examination update and component analysis.

  2. CSIRO drift reports · ATSB collection ↗

    Technical ocean-drift research and its assumptions.

  3. Malaysia MOT · Investigation documents ↗

    The Malaysian safety investigation and debris identification record.

By FindMH370.com · Independent reference projectContent revised 17 October 2026 · Suggest a correction