Malaysia says metal on Thai beach not from Flight 370

FILE - In this Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016 file photo, Thai people look at a large chunk of metal found on a beach in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Thailand. A Japanese rocket maker said Monday, Jan. 25 that a large piece of metal that washed up on a beach in Thailand is likely part of a rocket launched by Japan, not a missing Malaysian plane. The discovery of the metal sparked speculation that it might be from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared almost two years ago. (AP Photo/File) THAILAND OUT FILE - In this Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016 file photo, Thai people look at a large chunk of metal found on a beach in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Thailand. A Japanese rocket maker said Monday, Jan. 25 that a large piece of metal that washed up on a beach in Thailand is likely part of a rocket launched by Japan, not a missing Malaysian plane. The discovery of the metal sparked speculation that it might be from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared almost two years ago. (AP Photo/File) THAILAND OUT

By Associated Press January 26, 2016 1 min read

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) – Malaysia has confirmed that the piece of metal found washed up on a Thai beach is not from the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777.

The confirmation Tuesday came after a Japanese rocket maker said the piece is likely part of a rocket launched by Japan.

Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said in a statement that Malaysian and Thai experts examined the debris and ascertained that the numbers engraved on the body, the wire bundle and the bolts do not match those of a Boeing 777.

Flight 370 took off from Kuala Lumpur on March 8, 2014 for Beijing. But it soon lost communications and made a sharp turn away from its destination before disappearing. It is presumed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean, far away from Thailand.