KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 -- KUALA LUMPUR, June 31 (Xinhua) -- The piece of plane debris washed up on the Indian Ocean island of La Reunion has led investigators a step closer to solving the mystery of MH370, officials from Malaysia's transport ministry said here on Friday.

The remarks came after a number on the debris part confirmed that the part was from a Boeing 777. The debris was found on Wednesday.

The officials said the information was provided by the Malaysia Airlines.

Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said Wednesday that Malaysia had sent a team to Reunion Island to determine whether the debris part comes from the missing MH370 flight.

All 239 passengers on board MH370 are presumed dead after it went missing not long after takeoff on March 8, 2014.

The physical search for the jet is now halfway through, and covers more than 120,000 square kilometers of sea bed.