The MH370 wing flap that maybe isn't?
So much weirdly conflicting information!
When a wing flap from a Boeing 777 washed up on the shore of La Reunion, the mystery of missing flight MH370 had apparently been solved. There are very few Boeing 777s in existence, and only one of them was missing, so this had to be from that flight, right?
The first problem is that an ID plate, which should have provided positive confirmation with the serial numbers of the part, was missing.
Furthermore, the wing part (a "flaperon") does not match the maintenance records that were kept by Malaysia Airlines. And yes, mistakes can be made, but in general, airplane maintenance records are meticulously kept. Especially by a big, professional airline like Malaysia Airlines. If it says there are four screw holes, then there are four - and if you find a fifth screw hole in that line, you're looking at the wrong plane.
And finally, we have the mystery of the goose barnacles. According to an anonymous source, there is strong evidence that the part had spent several months floating a few meters below the surface of the ocean. Which is odd, because in general, objects either float or sink - they don't just hover there 10 feet below the surface.
All in all, there has been plenty of fuel for conspiracy theorists. And it does rather look like this piece might have been planted in the area. It's such a clear mental picture: the wing piece is chained to the ocean floor for a few months, bobbing at the top of its tether but below the surface. Then it is cut loose, whereupon it floats to the surface and washes up on a nearby beach.