The discovery of aircraft parts on an island in the western Indian Ocean has restored hope that the world may yet discover the fate of Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 (MH370), lost over a year ago with 239 people on board. Search efforts have been fruitless, turning up no trace of the missing plane ¡ª until last week.

A piece of a wing known as a flaperon that turned up on a beach has been positively identified as being from a Boeing 777, the type of aircraft that disappeared, and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak reported that the part has other characteristics ¡ª a Malaysian Airlines maintenance seal, paint and a serial number ¡ª that match the missing flight. Soon after, Malaysia¡¯s Transport Ministry announced that more plane parts have washed up on the island, including a window, although they have not yet been confirmed to be from MH370.

Other countries involved in the search effort are not as certain as Najib, and investigators are reluctant to confirm that the debris is from the missing plane ¡ª so far. That hesitance is understandable, given the anguish experienced by the families of the missing, the confusion and uncertainty that has been an ongoing part of the investigation and the pain that inevitably follows when hopes are raised only to be dashed by new information.

Officials have said that the discovery confirms that the search for the aircraft is proceeding in the right area. While the island where the debris turned up is a long way from the search zone, modeling of winds and currents suggests that they are right. This should help debunk the many conspiracy theories that dominate speculation about the fate of MH370.

Efforts to find the missing aircraft should be redoubled. The newly recovered parts offer some clues about the fate of the plane and may help better target the search. The victims and their families deserve closure and the recent discoveries should reassure search teams that they are on the right path and inspire them to step up their efforts.