Reunion Island volcano eruption halts MH370 investigation
Agencies
August 1, 2015 11:35 MYT
August 1, 2015 11:35 MYT
Lava flows out of the Piton de la Fournaise volcano as it erupts on July 31, 2015. - AFP Photo/Richard Bouhet
A VOLCANO eruption in the southeastern part of Reunion Island in France yesterday prompted the evacuation of investigators who were working the site where an aircraft debris, speculated to be from the missing MH370, was discovered.
The Reunion Island government imposed a ban on access to the Piton de la Fournaise volcano, including by helicopter, after an eruption at 10am local time Friday, according to media reports.
Investigation on the site, where a piece of flaperon was found on Wednesday, is currently halted.
Piton de la Fournaise is a World Heritage Site and is one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
The eruption occurred right after the flaperon, now confirmed to be part of a Boeing-777 aircraft, was found by beachcombers on Wednesday.
However, there is no confirmation that the debris belonged to Flight MH370.
According to media reports, Malaysian aviation experts who were analysing the debris were forced to evacuate the site.
The piece of wing found was expected to arrive in mainland France early Saturday for further investigation.
It will then be transported to the southern city of Toulouse for investigators to pore over in the hope of proving the wreckage came from the doomed MH370.
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 went missing during a routine flight on March 8, 2014, approximately one hour after departing from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Beijing, China.
The plane was carrying 239 people on board, including crew members.