The discovery of what may be the first physical fragment of the plane since it disappeared almost 17 months ago is giving fresh momentum to a search of the ocean floor where the plane is thought to have crashed. Studies of ocean currents and wind by Australia’s government science institute CSIRO suggest the item, found washed up on the French island of Reunion near Africa, could have come from the search area 3,800 kilometers (2,360 miles) to the southeast, Truss said.