Australian Deputy PM on MH370

Relatives of passengers on board the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 have expressed anger and confusion over differing statements from the authorities investigating a piece of debris washed up on the French Indian Ocean island of La Réunion, which is believed to belong to the missing Boeing 777.

In a televised address on August 5, Malaysian PM Najib Razak said investigators had "conclusively confirmed that the aircraft debris found on Reunion Island is indeed from MH370."

Malaysia is responsible for the investigation and is managing the examination. But they are being assisted by aircraft manufacturer Boeing as well as Australian, US and French authorities, who have so far stopped short of confirming whether the found wing part, known as flaperon, belongs to the aircraft which vanished on March 8, 2014. The jet disappeared shortly after it left Kuala Lumpur for Beijing in the early morning hours carrying 239 people, mostly Chinese.

Despite the most expensive search operation in history, an international team led by Australia has yet to find evidence of any wreckage along a narrow arc in the southern Indian Ocean - still believed to be the most likely resting place of the aircraft. It is believed ocean currents carried the flaperon to La Réunion.

In a DW interview, Australian Deputy PM and Transport Minister Warren Truss said there is "broad agreement" that the wreckage "in all probability" belongs to the missing plane, and explains why even a conclusive confirmation would have almost no impact on the ongoing underwater search efforts.

DW: Why are the Australian authorities convinced that the defined area in southern Indian Ocean in the most likely resting place of the plane despite the fact that no debris has yet to be found in that area?

Warren Truss: The defined search area in the southern Indian Ocean has always been based on the careful analysis of satellite data and aircraft performance information. These methods have been tested against the flights of other aircraft, and have proven reliable.

The definition of that area represents a tremendous amount of work by a number of expert parties, but the limitations of the information mean that we cannot refine the final location of MH370 to any more specific a location than the area we are currently searching.

The underwater search covers up to 120,000 square kilometers and we have completed just over half of that. There is still a tremendous amount of sea floor for us to search.

What clues can the marine organisms found on the La Reunion flaperon give investigators as to where to look for the plane in the Indian Ocean?

That will be up to the experts on marine biology to advise, although examination of the marine life is more likely to reveal information about how long the part has been in the water than about where it originated.

Malaysian PM Najib confirmed that the flaperon found on La Reunion belonged to MH370. But why has there been no confirmation from the other investigators?

While individuals may sometimes use different language, there is broad agreement that, in all probability, the flaperon is from MH370.

If the international investigators were to conclusively confirm that the flaperon does belong to MH370, how would this affect the underwater search in the southern Indian Ocean?

A definitive identification would have little, if any, direct effect on the search. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has reviewed its search parameters on the assumption that the flaperon is from MH370. Drift analysis by Australia's national science agency CSIRO has shown that material from the current search area could have been carried to La Reunion, among other locations.

The recovery of the flaperon is consistent with the area we are searching, and unless new information comes to light, we have no basis for changing the search area. Australia remains confident that we are looking in the right area.

What would you like to say to the relatives of the passengers in terms of the recent discoveries and statements made in relation to the missing plane?

The discovery of debris on La Reunion is consistent with where we are currently searching. All next of kin can be assured that we remain committed to our thorough and methodical search efforts which will continue in the defined search area.

When do you think the search of the underwater area is likely to be completed?

At a meeting of Ministers from Australia, Malaysia and the People's Republic of China held in Kuala Lumpur on 16 April 2015, it was agreed that, should the aircraft not be found within the initial 60,000 square kilometer search area, the search would be extended by an additional 60,000 square kilometers to bring the search area to 120,000 square kilometers, thereby covering the entire highest probability area identified by expert analysis.

This expanded search has begun. It is anticipated that searching the additional area may take up to a year to complete, given the adverse weather conditions in the winter months.

Warren Truss is Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development.

The interview was conducted by Gabriel Domínguez.