Seychelles reports find of possible plane debris, tells Malaysia

VICTORIA (Reuters) - Seychelles reported on Thursday the discovery of two pieces of debris that seemed to be from an aircraft and said it had notified Malaysia, whose Flight MH370 vanished in 2014 with 239 people aboard.

The Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) said scientists researching birds and turtles had found the debris washed up on Farqhar, one of the islands that make up the tropical Indian Ocean nation.

"The direction of flow of the sea currents make it likely that the (debris) came from the general direction where other parts (of MH370) have been found in Indian Ocean countries," a senior SCAA official who asked not to be named told Reuters.

Michael Payet, a spokesman for the state agency that manages all Seychelles islands, said the largest of the two bits of debris was about 120 cm (3.94 feet) long and 30 cm (one foot)wide and appeared to be made of aluminium and carbon fibre.

A woman leaves a message of support and hope for the passengers of the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 in central Kuala Lumpur March 16, 2014.

"It could be part of an engine cover," he said.

The SCAA was in contact with Malaysian authorities, "who have shown an interest, and with whom we expect to work closely", the aviation authority said in a statement.

Few traces of the Boeing 777 airliner have turned up over more than three years of searching since it disappeared in March 2014 with 239 passengers and crew aboard soon after take-off from Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, bound for Beijing.