MH370 Families Feeling Torn Following Reunion Island Discoveries

Families of missing MH370 passengers are experiencing a turbulent mix of emotions following the discovery of debris on Reunion Island on Wednesday. Debris included a wing component that may have been part of the missing 777. Investigators are reporting a high degree of confidence that the wing component comes from Flight MH370, as it is the only Boeing 777 reported missing. Also discovered was a heavily battered suitcase that may have come from the missing flight.

Many of the families are feeling jaded over the number of false alarms they’ve received in the past 17 months since MH370 disappeared. Danica Weeks, whose husband was on board the plane, commented on the emotional turmoil of the many false reports families have received.

“I’m not going to comment on anything until I know for sure. We’ve had so many red herrings that it is just an emotional roller coaster I don’t want to [be] involved in until I know that for sure it is part of the plane, or it’s not.”

A group of MH370 families in China are not yet convinced that the wreckage is from the missing 777. They published a statement saying they will not be satisfied until officials are 100 percent certain the debris is from MH370.

For some, this would mean giving up hope they’ve sustained that their loved ones are still alive.

“If ultimately this is a piece of the wing, then that little thread of hope that I have been holding on to will have to break. And reality will have to take over,” Sarah Bajc told CNN. Her partner was onboard MH370 to return to their home in Beijing. The couple had plans to marry later this year.

Others are looking for closure after 17 months. Jacquita Gonzales, whose husband was onboard MH370, spoke to the Guardian about her conflicted feelings.

“There are two parts. One is that yes, they have found the aircraft then we can have some sort of closure until they bring the whole aircraft back and then I can give my husband the peace he needs. The other part is no, let it not be true because then we can still have hope.”

Reunion Island is approximately 2,000 miles from the site of current search efforts in Perth, Australia. However, experts believe that given the amount of time since the flight went missing, it’s possible for the piece of debris to have traveled so far. The wreckage has been shipped to France, where it will be analyzed at a military laboratory to determine if it is indeed from Flight MH370.