Wing part 'likely' from missing MH370 plane, say Australian officials

The Australian Transport Minister has said a large wing part recently found on a Tanzanian island "highly likely" belongs to the missing Malaysian Airlines Flight 370.

The piece of debris was found late June on Pemba Island, in the Indian Ocean near the mainland.

The piece, believed to be part of the outboard wing flap of the missing Boeing 777, was transported to Australia and analyzed by the country's Transport and Safety Bureau, reports CNN.

"The experts will continue to analyze this piece to assess what information can be determined from it," said Darren Chester, Minister for Australia's Infrastructure and Transport.

So far, debris believed to be from the aircraft, which disappeared in March 2014, has also washed up on Reunion Island and in Mozambique, Mauritius and South Africa.

One piece is confirmed to have come from MH370 while four other items are "almost certainly from the missing aircraft," according to Australian authorities.

However, the debris hasn't brought much clarity to the location of the plane.

Senior officials from Australia, Malaysia and China, involved in the search, had announced earlier this month that the effort to locate MH370 will be suspended and rethought if the missing plane isn't found in the remaining search area, which is less than 10,000 square kilometers are left.

Ministers have reiterated that the effort to find MH370 has not been abandoned.