Police awaiting confirmation from Philippine authorities - IGP

The Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) has reached out to its Philipine counterpart as claims surfaced that an aircraft wreckage had been found on Sugbay Island in the southern Philippines.

Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said police are awaiting for verification from Philippine authorities before any action can be taken.

According to Khalid, the verification process is expected to take up to two days.

"We have already asked our Philippine counterparts to conduct an inspection, to go to the location and verify the matter. We have already conducted checks but so far nothing has come up," Khalid said after police event in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

A police report had been lodged by a resident on the island at the Sandakan police station and until now no concrete evidence including pictures have been provided by the complainant.

It was earlier reported that the alleged discovery fuelled speculation as it had been linked to Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 which disappeared on March 8, 2014.

It began with a claim by a teenager who said he stumbled upon the wreckage while hunting for birds in a valley on Sugbay Island, Tawi-Tawi in early September.