Investigators confirm debris was from MH370

French authorities are now saying “with certainty” that the debris found on Reunion Island in July is from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, after confirming that a serial number found on the wing fragment matches that of the missing aircraft.

The BBC reported that investigators made the announcement yesterday after consulting with a technician from Airbus Defence and Space in Spain (the firm which made the part for the B767), who investigators said identified the part’s serial number as the same found on MH370.

Shortly after the debris was discovered, Malaysian PM Najib Razak confirmed during a press conference that the plane had been found, while investigators stated they would announce their conclusion at a later date.

The search continues for the rest of the aircraft and the 239 passengers who were aboard when it went missing on March 8, 2014; the Australian Transportation Safety Bureau continues to search in the south Indian Ocean – thousands of miles east of Reunion – where the plane is believed to have gone down.