Has missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 been discovered?

A piece of wreckage washed up on a beach in the Indian Ocean could be part of the doomed Malaysian Airlines jet MH370 which vanished in 2014, it has emerged.

The two-metre-long piece of wreckage, which seemed to be part of a wing, was found by people cleaning up a beach in La Reunion, east of Madagascar.

One witness said: 'It was covered in shells, so one would say it had been in the water a long time.'

• The wreckage was found washed up on the island of La Reunion, east of Madagascar earlier today 
• The two-metre-long object has been secured and will be examined by air crash investigators within hours 
• Experts will determine whether the wreckage is from MH370 by comparing serial numbers with the missing jet
• Witnesses said the object appears to have been in the ocean for some time as it was 'covered in shells'

Officials are examining debris found washed up on Reunion island east of Madagascar to determine if it is related to the missing MH370

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The debris appears to be part of a wing and was taken onto the island of La Reunion, where it will be thoroughly inspected 

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Air crash investigators will closely examine the piece of wreckage to see if the serial numbers match the missing Boeing 777

The two-metre-long section of wreckage was discovered on the island of La Reunion, east of Madagascar, more than 3,800 miles away from where the aircraft was last seen, north of Kuala Lumpur and some 3,000 miles from the search area west of Australia 

French air transport officials have already opened a probe to investigate where the wreckage could have come from.

The two-metre-long section was found more than 3,800 miles away from where the missing Boeing 777 was last seen.  It is also more than 3,000 miles from where the main underwater search for wreckage is taking place, off the coast of Australia. 

France TV said the object was recovered by a group of workers cleaning a beach on La Reunion, who reported the discovery to authorities who alerted air crash investigators.

Xavier Tytelman, an expert in aviation security, said it could not be ruled out that the wreckage belonged to MH370, which vanished without trace in March last year.

No part of the wreckage has ever been found in one of aviation's great mysteries and Malaysian authorities in January declared that all on board were presumed dead.

The plane disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board.

Tytelman noted that local media photos showed 'incredible similarities between a #B777 flaperon and the debris found,' refering to a Boeing 777 - the type of plane that disappeared.

He also noted a reference on the wreckage: BB670.

He added: 'This code is not a plane's registration number, nor serial number. However... it's clear that this reference would allow a quick identification. In a few days, we will have a definitive answer.'

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Aviation expert Xavier Tytelman reported the discovery of the mystery wreckage which is currently being examined by a team of experts

The section of wreckage, believed to be from an aircraft, was found in La Reunion, pictured, with is a French overseas department