Beachcombers Sift Through Scraps for Signs of MH370

Beach cleaners scouring the sands of Reunion island in the Indian Ocean for trash have been handing their finds over to local police, hoping that the refuse will provide clues on the fate of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, NBC News reported.

Johnny Begue was among the dozens scouring the shoreline and sifting through scraps of machinery, rubber and more.

He and his colleagues made the initial discovery of a barnacle-covered piece of debris that came ashore was from the missing jetliner. A number on the debris confirms it came from a Boeing 777 — and MH370 is the only missing such model in the world.

Begue later found a suitcase — origins unclear — and on Thursday he found an empty bottle of Chinese mineral water and turned it over to police. The majority of MH370's passengers were Chinese.

The discovery of the debris has also rekindled efforts by family members of passengers on board a missing Malaysia Airlines flight to seek greater compensation, aviation lawyers told Reuters.

"If there is evidence that the aircraft has failed, that very well may trigger a wave of lawsuits,” with families suing the aircraft’s manufacturer, a lawyer at firm Maurice Blackburn in Melbourne said.

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