Australia on Friday said it was confident the search for MH370 was being conducted in the right area with aircraft wreckage being washed to La Reunion consistent with the zone they are scouring.

"We remain confident that we're searching in the right place, and if in fact the plane parts found on Reunion Island are linked to MH370, that would rather strengthen the case that we are in the right area," said Transport and Infrastructure Minister Warren Truss.

He added: "The fact that this wreckage was sighted on the northern part of the Reunion Island is consistent with the current movements" from the search area.