The Latest on MH370: Madagascar also watching for potential debris from MH370

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — The latest on the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (all times local):

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9:30 p.m.

The Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, which is in line with the same currents as Reunion, is on the lookout for potential airplane debris from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.

Col. Philibert Ratovonirina, a spokesman for Madagascar's military, said coastal personnel for the military and police would watch for any materials that could have come from MH370, which went missing on March 8, 2014 with 239 people on board

"We need the help of the population too," he said. "We have to rely on fishermen and others who are there all the time to help us."

Malaysia Airlines said in a statement that the part of the plane's wing, known as a "flaperon," which was found on Reunion Island on July 29, is from Flight 370. French investigators haven't yet confirmed that it is from the plane.

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8 p.m.

The Paris prosecutor's office says there is no new airplane debris from the French island of Reunion, contradicting reports from the Malaysian government.

A spokeswoman in the prosecutor's office, who was not authorized to be quoted by name, denied that any new material from an airplane had been turned over to French authorities. Malaysia's transport minister had said hours earlier that new debris, including window material and metal, had been collected.

Other French officials with ties to the investigation Paris and Reunion also said they were unaware of any new debris.

— Lori Hinnant

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5:30 p.m.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says the discovery of the plane wing part has reopened wounds in the mystery of MH370.

Kerry, who is in Malaysia for meetings with Southeast Asian counterparts, says the U.S. hopes that the debris that was discovered on Reunion Island — if it is found to be conclusively from the aircraft — will help to bring some sense of closure.

He says perhaps even more reliable information that can be tracked from the sea currents may narrow the area of search.

He also commended the French authorities and other international experts for their diligence in the analysis of the wing as well as in the ongoing search.

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4.30 p.m.

Malaysia's transport minister says a Malaysian team at the French territory of Reunion Island has collected other plane debris including a window and some aluminum foil.

But Liow Tiong Lai says he cannot confirm they belong to Flight 370, which went missing on March 8, 2014 with 239 people on board. "I can only ascertain that it's plane debris."

Liow told reporters "there are many items collected" from the Indian Ocean island where a wing part was found last week, which was confirmed earlier Thursday to be from Flight 370.

Liow said the new debris has been sent "to the French authorities for verification. I cannot confirm that it's from MH370."

Liow says Malaysia has asked authorities in neighboring areas including Mauritius and Madagascar to help comb their beaches for possible debris to widen the search.

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4 p.m.

Malaysia's transport minister says the maintenance records of Malaysia Airlines prove conclusively that the wing part found last week on an Indian Ocean island belonged to the missing Flight 370.

Liow Tiong Lai told reporters that the Malaysian team, which is part of the investigations in France, is convinced that the one of the sealants on the wing part, known as flaperon, matches "with our maintenance records."

He said Thursday the paint color on the flaperon also matches with the airline's records.

He says he understands why the French team has been less categorical about declaring the part as belonging to Flight 370.