Kuala Lumpur: France has said it would launch new searches by air, land and sea from Reunion in the hopes of finding more wreckage from MH370, after Malaysia said a wing part that washed up on the Indian Ocean island came from the ill-fated flight.

A Casa military aircraft will begin surveying the area from this morning, the French government said in a statement. The search will also be stepped up with foot patrols, helicopters and maritime units, it added.