Crustaceans may help solve the mystery of MH370

Barnacles may hold clues to the debris' path, say scientists. The barnacles could also reveal how deep debris had sunk in the ocean. They may be key to figuring out how long the debris had been in the water. Malaysia said on Sunday the piece of debris, a 2-2.5 meter (6.5-8 feet) wing surface known as flaperon, had been identified as being from a Boeing 777
Barnacles encrusted on a piece of plane debris that washed up on the French island of Reunion might help unravel the mystery of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.


The plane, carrying 239 passengers and crew, went missing on March 8, 2014 on its way from Malaysia to China.

For 17 months the world has been waiting for a tan­gible clue as to what happened.

Now scientists say they are closer to finding out the truth – and they say sea barnacles could provide vital clues about what happened on that tragic day.

Brian Helmuth, a professor at Northeastern's Marine Science Center, says that the barnacles could clue investigators in to the debris' likely path as well as to how deep it had sunk in the ocean.

'As anyone who has seen a TV show like Bones or NCIS knows, the critters that live on a piece of forensic evidence tell us a lot about where it has been,' said Helmuth, an expert in environmental policy, ecological forecasting and sustainability.

Helmuth explained that different types of barnacles thrive in different parts of the ocean.

Some only live in coastal areas, while others can only be found in the open ocean.

The size of the barnacles, he noted, could also be key to figuring out how long the debris had been in the water.

'The bigger the animals, the longer the wing was likely submerged,' Helmuth said.

'It's possible investigators could even use genetic information from the barnacles to back track to a particular region of origin.'

Based on photographs, ecologists in Australia believe the crustaceans clinging to the wing piece are goose or stalk barnacles.

'Barnacle shells ... can tell us valuable information about the water conditions under which they were formed,' said Ryan Pearson, a PhD student at Australia's Griffith University who is studying the shell chemistry of barnacles to determine migration patterns of endangered loggerhead turtles.

The technique is also used to study the movement of whales.

Experts analyse barnacle shells to determine the temperature and chemical composition of the water through which they passed to help reveal their origin.

While the technique could help narrow the area of the search for MH370 to within tens, or hundreds, of kilometers, it was unlikely to pinpoint an exact location, Pearson said.

Barnacles can be aged, based on growth rates and size.

If the barnacles on the debris are older than the date MH370 went missing, it would rule it coming from that plane, said Melanie Bishop a professor at the Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University.

Ecologists would look at whether the barnacles were on the surface of the flaperon or confined to the sides as that could indicate whether the debris moved on the surface of the water or was submerged.

The investigators in France would also be on the lookout for other organisms such as tube worms, coralline red algae or shellfish that could also provide clues.

Marine archaeologists study barnacles for clues about shipwrecks but this was believed to be the first time they will be studied to determine the fate of an airliner.

'It's a nice example of the unexpected ways that discovery research can be surprisingly useful in tackling new problems in different contexts,' said professor Angela Moles, evolution and ecology research center at the University of New South Wales.

Earlier today, MH370 investigators pledged to launch new air, land and sea searches for debris around Reunion Island.

Yesterday the Malaysian Government claimed their team had also discovered seats and windows from the plane washed up ashore but French authorities reacted with puzzlement to the announcement. 

France has promised to launch a fresh search though and a military plane will begin surveying the area of the Indian Ocean today.

The French government says foot patrols, helicopters and maritime units will also be introduced to the search.

'Any discovery will be immediately made available to the investigation,' said the joint statement by the French ministers of defence, transport and overseas territories.

The discovery of the wing flap refocused the world's attention on the investigation, which many hope will finally yield clues into the plane's fate.

By ELLIE ZOLFAGHARIFARD FOR DAILYMAIL.COM