Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak confirmed on Thursday, August 6 that a Boeing 777 wing segment discovered in the Indian Ocean island of Reunion is from the missing Flight MH370, the first real breakthrough in the search for the plane that disappeared 17 months ago.

"Today, 515 days since the plane disappeared, it is with a heavy heart that I must tell you that an international team of experts have conclusively confirmed that the aircraft debris found on Reunion Island is indeed from MH370," Najib said in a televised statement.

A file photo of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak | Source: Today Online

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared in March last year enroute from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew on board.

Investigators in France ascertained that the barnacle-covered debris, a 2-2.5 metre (6.5-8 feet) wing surface known as a flaperon, belonged to MH370 just days after Malaysia identified it as being part of the same model, a Boeing 777. The confirmation brings some closure to the relatives of those on board but does not shed any light on what happened to the airliner.