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There is a “high possibility” that debris found in Mozambique came from a Boeing 777, the same model as missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, according to Malaysia’s transport minister.
Australia said the location was consistent with models of where ocean drifts could carry debris.
The 1 metre-long piece of metal was found on a sandbank off the coast of Mozambique at the weekend.
NBC News said it was found by an American man who had been tracking the investigation into the missing flight.
If confirmed, the object found in Mozambique would be the second piece of known debris from the aircraft to be found. Last year authorities found a piece of the wing on the shore of Reunion island in the Indian Ocean.
Flight MH370 disappeared in March 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, carrying 239 passengers.
Despite an extensive deep water search, led by Australia, the aircaft and all its passengers remain missing.
Malaysian transport minister, Liow Tiong Lai, said on Twitter that based on early reports, there was a “high possibility debris found in Mozambique belongs to a B777”.
But he said: “I urge everyone to avoid undue speculation as we are not able to conclude that the debris belongs to MH370 at this time.”
Malaysian aviation teams were working with their Australian counterparts to retrieve the debris, he added.
Australia’s minister for infrastructure and transport Darren Chester said that the location of the piece was consistent with drift patterns of debris and “reaffirms the search area for MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean”.
He said the piece woauld be transferred to Australia where it would be examined, the BBC reported.