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First MH370 Debris Drift Model Incorrect

Australia’s updated version changes drift pattern.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said Wednesday the initial debris drift modeling for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 was likely wrong. Modeling for the Boeing 777, which went down in March 2014 with 239 people on board, was undertaken in June 2014 and suggested the first possible trace of debris would land on the west coast of Indonesia in early July of last year. Australian models developed and updated last month indicated that an Indonesia landfall was highly unlikely for MH370, the ATSB said. News of the error follows the discovery of a piece of aircraft debris, believed to belong to a Boeing 777, found on the shores of the French island Réunion, nearly 2,300 miles from the estimated crash zone. The ATSB said the incorrect model had no effect on how the search was conducted, but helps to eliminate other items found on beaches believed to be part of MH370. Officials said they may be able to make a statement on whether the debris belonged to MH370 later this week.