Many more questions and lots of speculation will now flood from this event. To my amateur eye, it possibly suggests to have been a lower speed crash/ditching event as the part is largely intact - not twisted, bent or distorted. Could it have indeed been a controlled ditching which has been one of the more popular and likely speculations (i.e complete lack of debris field)? Metallurgists may be able to work out the potential loads exerted on the flaperon when it broke away from the wing via examining the stress fractures?
It will also be interesting to see what they come up with wind/current modelling over these months - may help put some light on whether or not they have been looking in the right area. Whether modelling over such a long period of time is possible, I've no idea of course. Let's hope this event helps the experts in some way to resolve this mystery.
This may hopefully at least provide some resolution to the poor families and friends of those on-board - a small mercy perhaps.
