As investigators still work to determine if debris recently found in the Indian Ocean is a piece of wreckage from missing Malaysia Airlines flight M370, reports say a suitcase has also been discovered washed ashore in the same area.
French language website Linfo.re reported a local man found a battered suitcase.
Australian deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss called the original discovery of the wing component – or ‘flaperon’ – a ‘significant development.’
Malaysia deputy transport minister Abdul Aziz Kaprawi said it is ‘almost certain’ to be from a Boeing 777, an opinion echoed by several aviation experts.
Flight MH370 was operated by a Boeing 777 which mysteriously disappeared from radar en route to Beijing in March 2014.
The Malaysian government has sent a team to France where the debris will be sent for analysis.
Truss said if the discovery does turn out to be from MH370 it would indicate that search teams are probably in the right area in the Southern Indian Ocean searching for the missing jet.
"It’s credible that debris from MH370 could have reached the Reunion Islands by now," he said.
Family members of those still missing are taking a cautious approach to the news.
"We will follow the developments and hope to receive the official confirmation as soon as possible," said a statement released by a group of Chinese families.
"We do not want to hear guarantees of 99% likelihood from certain authorities. We need confirmation of 100% certainty. No matter where the debris is found, we care more about the whereabouts of our family members."
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