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The first suspected debris of the plane, carried away by the footballer Emiliano Sala, disappeared on the French coast.
Two pieces of seat cushion supposed to come from the vanished plane nine days ago were found on the Normandy coast, about 20 miles from the last known position of the plane.
It also appeared that British aeronautical investigators had identified a "priority search area" of about four square nautical miles where they thought the wreckage of the aircraft could be located and had loaded a team rescue and maritime operations of the Ministry of Defense to attempt to locate it. . The beginning of this operation is delayed by bad weather.
In a statement, the Directorate of Air Accident Investigations (AAIB) said: "On the morning of Monday, January 28, the Office of Investigations and Analyzes, the French authority in charge of investigations of security, informed us that part of the seat cushion had been found on a beach near Surtainville on the Cotentin Peninsula.
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"A second cushion was found in the same area later in the day. After a preliminary examination, we concluded that it is likely that the cushions come from the missing plane. "
He adds, "Since the opening of our security investigation on Tuesday, January 23rd, we are gathering evidence, such as flight, aircraft and personnel records, and badyzing radar data and tape. Recording of air traffic. We worked closely with other international authorities and kept the families of those involved informed of our progress.
"From the moment we have been informed of the disappearance of the aircraft, we examine the possibility of conducting an underwater search of the seabed to find the wreckage of the aircraft. Based on a detailed badessment of the flight path and the last known radar position, we have now identified a priority search area of about four square nautical miles. Through the rescue and maritime operations project team of the Ministry of Defense, we have commissioned a specialized control vessel to conduct an underwater study of the seabed in an attempt to locate and identify any debris from the aircraft.
"Due to the weather and the sea, we are currently forecasting that underwater research will begin at the end of the weekend and last up to three days. The side scan sonar equipment will be used to try to locate the wreck on the seabed. If the wreckage is found, a remotely operated vehicle will be used to visually examine the wreckage. "
Shipwreck experts hired by Sala's family with the help of hundreds of thousands of pounds of donations prepare to start their own research.
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This week, they revealed that they were planning to use a remotely operated vehicle to comb an area of about 25 square nautical miles and they thought there was a good chance of finding the right one. The plane, which disappeared last Monday over the Channel Islands in the direction of Nantes. in France in Cardiff.
The official search for Sala and his pilot, Dave Ibbotson, was led by Guernsey captain David Barker, but ended last Thursday.
On Monday, a week after the plane's disappearance, members of Sala's family chartered a plane and traced the flight path of the lost plane to help them better understand what had happened.
Two fishing boats searched the area just north of Guernsey, where contact with the plane was lost.
Family expert David Mearns said a research vessel was being mobilized and is expected to be in the area by the end of the week, although bad weather has delayed until the weekend.
The AAIB said: "We are aware that private research is also conducted in the region and we are working closely with the people involved to maximize the chances of finding the wreckage and ensuring the safety of the aircraft. research operations. Our mandate is to conduct safety investigations to establish the cause of accidents. We do not attribute fault or liability.
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