#CNN obtains first images of possible #MH370 debris found in Mozambique
A piece of debris that washed ashore in Mozambique over the weekend most likely belongs to the same model of aircraft as the Malaysian Airlines jet that disappeared almost two years ago.
Unnamed U.S. officials told a number of media outlets that what appears to be part of a Boeing 777 airliner was discovered in the East African nation over the weekend.
The debris, which is being taken to Malaysia and Australia for further analysis, is believed to be a section of the right-hand horizontal stabilizer, part of the small wing-like sections on a plane's tail, an official told the Associated Press.
Darren Chester, Australia's Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, said in a statement the location where the debris was found was consistent with drift modeling that was commissioned in searched for the plane.
Flight MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, while traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board.
"The location of the debris is consistent with drift modeling commissioned by the Australian Transport Bureau (ATSB) and reaffirms the search area for MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean," Chester said in the statement.
Investigators believe the jet veered wildly off course before crashing into the southern Indian Ocean off the western coast of Australia, killing all on board.
The only confirmed piece of the jet to have been discovered was found last year on the French island of Réunion.
Writing on Twitter on Wednesday, Malaysia's transportation minister, Liow Tiong Lai, said there is a "high possibility" the Mozambique debris belongs to a Boeing 777.
However, he said the piece has yet to be formally "confirmed and verified."
"I urged everyone to avoid undue speculation as we are not able to conclude that the debris belongs to #MH370 at this time," the minister wrote.
Chester said Australian, Malaysian, and international specialists will be examining the meter-long piece of debris.
MH370 is the only known missing Boeing 777 in the world.