KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 ― The discovery of debris on Réunion Island, suspected to be from Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH370, is “consistent” with analysis and modeling of the missing plane’s trajectory, Australian government said today.

In a brief statement carried by British daily The Guardian, Canberra said the debris is currently being examined by experts to determine its origin.

“In the event that the wreckage is identified as being from MH370 on La Réunion Island, it would be consistent with other analysis and modelling that the resting place of the aircraft is in the southern Indian Ocean,” said the statement.

Canberra also explained that Malaysia is responsible for the investigation and is managing this examination with the assistance of Boeing, the BEA (Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses pour la Sécurité de l’Aviation Civile), the US National Transportation Safety Bureau and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

“Any new evidence will be used to further inform and refine ongoing search efforts,” it said.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said yesterday Malaysia has sent a team to Réunion Island off the east coast of Africa to determine whether washed-up debris may be from the missing MAS Flight MH370 that is believed to have crashed in the Indian Ocean last year.

Eric Chesneau, an officer in the air transport police of the French Indian Ocean territory Réunion, told news agency Reuters that it was “more than likely plane debris” that had washed up, but further inspection was needed.

Flight MH370 went missing while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8 last year.