How did the debris drift when the plane crashed?

Depending on the characteristics and structure of each part, aircraft debris can quickly sink or float on the water and wash ashore.

What happens when an airplane falls into the sea?

Almost in all cases, debris floats on the water when the plane falls into the sea. The opportunity to locate and recover debris from the sea surface will quickly diminish in the first few weeks after the plane crashed.

Experts consider the side wing drifting to Reunion Island.(Photo: Reuters)

Some of the less permeable structures continue to float some time later, but they will quickly be scattered.

Which part will float on the water?

Aircraft parts can float including seat cushions, life jackets, and escape skis. Many cabin parts are made from low density synthetic materials such as cabin linings, folding tables for passengers can also maintain buoyancy.

Similarly, structures that can "hold" enough air will also float on the water for a certain period of time and are often found on the surface after the plane falls.

How long will the debris float?

Over time, floating debris will be submerged and sink, even in a short time. Floating structures with compressed air will sink when air is released or empty space is filled. This process will take place quickly under the impact of wind and waves.

Items made from materials are less permeable to floating water, but they will also sink when the material is damaged by chemical or mechanical decomposition. The decomposition process can be prolonged for certain synthetic materials or plastics, but faster when they are biodegradable.

The possibility of aircraft wrecking drifted ashore?

This is directly related to each type of debris, while this property depends on their characteristics such as size, shape, and density. As time passes long enough, resistance to wind or water currents is a condition for them to drift ashore and be found.

Could the fragment of MH370 have drifted 4,000 kilometers to the west, from the current search area in the southern Indian Ocean to Reunion Island?

The answer is yes. According to the latest identification model of the experts of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), the aircraft fragment MH370 may have drifted in the north , then shifted west from the position. location disappeared in March last year.

On the morning of August 6, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak confirmed the Boeing 777 wing found on Reunion Island belonged to flight MH370, the first breakthrough in a search for missing planes 17 months ago. However, this has not been able to help reveal the cause of the crash.