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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Plane Debris Found: Is It Malaysia Airlines Flight 370?; Trump's Immigration Plan: "Move 'Em Out". Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired July 30, 2015 - 04:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[04:31:02] JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: The breaking news this morning. A piece of debris washes up on island -- the same type, the same color as missing Malaysia Flight MH-370. Is this the breakthrough that so many have been waiting for?

We have live team coverage breaking it all down, including a report from this island starting right now.

Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm John Berman. Thirty-one minutes past the hour. We do want to welcome our viewers here in the United States and around the world.

The breaking news this morning: a possible break through for the hunt for the missing airliner, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Sources close to the investigation tell CNN that a piece of debris on the shore of an island in the western Indian Ocean appears to be from a Boeing 777. A Boeing 777 is the model of MH370, which disappeared with 249 people onboard in March of 2014, some 500 days ago.

The debris, apparently a flaperon, a flap, from a wing was found on Reunion Island. That's about 2,300 miles from where the plane is believed to have gone down. At least that's where they have been searching.

Reunion Island not easy to get to at all. CNN correspondent Robyn Kriel is there on Reunion Island and joins us with the latest.

Good morning, Robyn.

ROBYN KRIEL, CNN AFRICA CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John.

Yes, Reunion Island, a French island about a population of just under 1 million people and abuzz with the news it could be the piece of what looks to be a wing flap, a flaperon, this island abuzz with the fact that this could be a part of a missing plane. That's been a mystery that the world has been aching to solve for the last 500 days.

Family members, John, not able to believe that this plane could have gotten so far away from its original destination if it does indeed turn to be -- turn out to be a piece of that missing aircraft. But the Australians have been charged with the investigation and trying to figure out where it is. They have been doing a lot of searching for the missing aircraft, John.

And this is what the deputy prime minister had to say about this latest discovery.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WARREN TRUSS, AUSTRALIAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: This is obviously a very significant development. It's the first real evidence that there's a possibility that a part of the aircraft may have been found. It's too early to make that judgment. But, clearly, we are treating this as a major lead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KRIEL: And a major lead it does turn out to be. We heard from a number of experts who say from what it looks like and what they can tell, all indications seem to be this piece does not seem to have been in the water all that long. It looks like it has been there a year. It has barnacles and shells on it.

And if indeed it does end up matching with the part of the aircraft and Boeing, the manufacturer, could identify that part, they would be able to tell by the number that is etched on it, they would be able to somehow match that with their part records if it is perhaps an airport maintenance log. That's what we heard from experts that it could be. They say that it could be a major lead and could lead to eventually to the finding of the wreckage itself or the reason why the aircraft went down, if it is part of that aircraft.

BERMAN: Robyn, who found it and where was it found and who has it now?

KRIEL: We understand it is in the authorities -- under the authority of the French air force, and that they are looking at it. The French police dragged it up from the beach and regular people found it. They saw it floating and they called authorities. And they eventually were able to get out onto the beach, a major discovery.

This has been the sight of aircraft crashes before. Not this exact island, but in this vicinity.

[04:35:01] It is a wide stretch of the Indian Ocean. We have seen big crashes here, such s Ethiopian Airlines, and various other crashes, but none of 777. So, if this flaperon, if that's what it is, turns out to belong to a 777, then that will be definitely, since the aircraft type of the missing MH-370, that will help narrow down the search.

Again, though, Boeing not commenting at this stage, saying they cannot comment on the ongoing investigation. But they will be able to tell from that number, that key crucial number if it is one of their aircraft parts.

BERMAN: And as of now, Robyn, this is the only piece of debris that we know about? KRIEL: As of now, yes. But, of course, people really starting to

look. As I said, this is a French island. French air force have a base here. So, they're going to be participating. It is confusing who has jurisdiction.

In airline crashes, authorities, the Malaysian authorities have had jurisdiction up until now. Australians being able to search as well, helping them in their search. And the Australian authorities saying that this is not inconsistent with where it could end up given all of the various studies that they have done. They look at the gyres and currents of the ocean, at the weather at the various -- weather various patterns. They say this is not inconsistent with what they've looked at.

BERMAN: One of the areas where they thought it could be.

Robyn Kriel for us on Reunion Island -- great to have a reporter there on the scene. Thank you so much, Robyn.

Anxiously awaiting word if this debris is, in fact, from MH-370. The families of the passengers and crew missing since the plane disappeared.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH BAJC, PARTNER, PHILIP WOOD WAS ON MH370: If ultimately this is a piece of the wing, then that little thread of hope I have been holding on to will have to break. And reality will have to take over. But, yes, up until now, I and most of the family members have continued to believe that until we have a body, we can't give up hoping that they will come back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: It has to be so hard for family members. Most of the passengers were Chinese citizens, the crew from Malaysia.

CNN's Andrew Stevens has been in contact with the families since this happened some 500 days ago. He joins us now from Malaysia.

These families this morning, Andrew, weary.

ANDREW STVENS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Weary and anxious and nervous. These are words that have been used. I've been speaking to the family members. And that thread of hope, we just heard there from Sarah Bajc, it's so common refrain from the families. They have been hoping 500 days on, they still have this faint, faint belief that a miracle could have happened, John.

But at the moment, you mention the word weary. They will not make a decision on whether these reports are actually true until it is 100 percent confirmed. You can certainly understand why they think that. There were many, many false leads and false reports at the beginning of the search for MH-370 in the first weeks that it went down. Many of those led to nothing. Families are still very, very weary about accepting anything. A hundred fifty-three Chinese nationals on the flight, by far the biggest number of nationals on that flight. And, interestingly, the families have been collectively speaking to the media. This is what they said in a statement. I just want to read this to you, because I think this really does encompass what most of the families are thinking and saying at the moment.

We will follow the developments and hope to receive the official confirmation as soon as possible. We do not want to hear guarantees of 99 percent likelihood. We want -- we need confirmation of 100 percent certainty. Certainly, that is what I'm hearing here in Kuala Lumpur. People are saying we heard the reports.

Interestingly, John, they are getting most of their information from us, from the media. There has been very little communication officially from Malaysian authorities. No communication at all as far as I'm aware from the Malaysian authorities to the families of the people onboard that flight.

So, they are waiting. We hear from the deputy transport minister saying he is almost certain this wing fragment is from a 777. He doesn't link it to 370, but certain it is from a 777. The families say to a person, we want full inconvertible truth that this is the case.

BERMAN: So, there's a lack of communication with the families. That is sadly consistent with the last 500 days of this incident.

Andrew Stevens for us in Malaysia, thank you so much.

[04:40:00] So, how likely is it that this piece, this missing piece from a plane, is from MH370?

Joining us now to discuss, Justin Green, an aviation attorney, a former military pilot, now, the president of the International Air and Transportation Safety Bar Association.

Justin, thanks for being with us.

Look, if this piece, if this flaperon, if it is, in fact, from a Boeing 777, it almost has to be from MH370. Does it? There is no other plane that went down anywhere near this place. There have only been four 777 crashes ever.

JUSTIN GREEN, AVIATION ATTORNEY: If it's a part of a 777, it's MH370 no doubt.

BERMAN: And how hard will it be to confirm? It seems to me that if they have the maintenance numbers, as soon as they have a knowledgeable person on the scene there to look at it, that could be something that's confirm fairly quickly?

GREEN: It's going to be very easy to confirm. And my guess is authorities and Boeing probably already know, but they are doing the right thing and they don't want to say until they are 100 percent certain. Just think of one thing. I'm sure it was measured already. If the measurements match, it's most likely a 777.

BERMAN: And you say they want to be 100 percent certain, that's what the families want confirmation. In fact, we just heard that statement, where they say 99 percent is not enough. They want 100 percent certainty that it's from MH370, which I imagine finding out it is from a Boeing 777 is the first step.

Just review for us what this piece from the plane does. What does a flaperon do?

GREEN: Well, it's -- the airplane has flaps and it also has ailerons. Ailerons actually control the airplane and rolls. As the airplane wants to turn, the two ailerons on either side of the airplane turn and cause the airplane to roll. The flaperon does the same job as flaps, which changes the camber of the wing, increases lift, allows the airplane to fly slowly as it's landing. It helps turn the airplane. That's why it's called a flaperon.

BERMAN: So, they're looking. They have been looking for some 500 days, 2,500 miles from this island, 2,500 miles from where this piece washed up. They could still be looking in the right place. It's just a piece of debris could have floated all this way, correct?

GREEN: Well, most of the wreckage is thought to have sunk and most likely at the bottom. It's very unlikely that large pieces of the wreckage have also been floating. So, this -- what they said is this is a possible location and their analysis of the currents, it is possible, no probably that a wreckage could end up on Reunion Island.

BERMAN: So, even if this is from MH-370, and look, it is looking more and more like it could be this morning. Even if it is, the fuselage, the main part of the plane, which, of course, could have the black boxes, that could still be at the bottom of the sea, not far from where they're looking 2,500 miles from this island.

GREEN: I think what's key information, there's going to be a lot of information that comes out of this if this is indeed the part from the airplane. One of the issues I think is most important, it may have them take a look at where they are now looking and maybe move their search area or increase their search area.

BERMAN: I have to say, this will be the most analyzed seven-foot piece of metal on earth right now. What clues in and of itself could this provide?

GREEN: Well, one thing, it's going to tell the investigators how the airplane impacted the water. It's going to -- it's going to perhaps rule out a major explosion or a missile strike or something like that. If there's s no evidence of that or at least indicate that that's unlikely.

It's also going to -- the barnacles that you mentioned before, one of the thoughts I think the families will have is a little convenient that they find this piece. Well, the fact it has evidence it has been in the water for a year would suggest that this isn't some sick prank by someone. BERMAN: We are waiting word right now, waiting confirmation that this

piece of debris is from MH370.

Justin Green, thanks so much for being with us this morning. I appreciate it.

GREEN: Thank you, John.

BERMAN: We're going to cover every angle of this story all morning long. This piece of debris on Reunion Island. CNN does have a reporter there. We'll get back to her in just a moment.

But, first, Donald Trump calling for the deportation of 11 million illegal immigrants. He tells CNN why he's the only one who can get it done. That's next.

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BERMAN: All right. New this morning, Donald Trump reveals how a President Trump would reform immigration. The Republican frontrunner said he would deport all 11 million undocumented immigrants in this country and then let what he calls the good ones back in.

Our chief congressional correspondent Dana Bash with more of her exclusive interview with Trump -- Dana.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, Donald Trump is, of course, leading in the polls for lots of reasons. But probably, the thing that propelled him early on was his stance against illegal immigration, the fact that he talked on the issue at a time what dozen plus other Republican candidates really been wanted to talk about it as much as they have in past election year.

So, the question has been for Donald Trump what exactly are his plans beyond building a wall with Mexico and so forth. So, I started by asking on that issue the question about the 11 million or maybe more undocumented immigrants in this country. What he would do it about it. Listen to part of that.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I want to get the bad ones out. Not only the ones in the prisons, and -- by the way, and they're never coming back. Not only the ones in the prisons, but the ones that are going around like in San Francisco and shooting Kate and shooting Jamiel, and shooting people that should not -- you know, that should be with us.

OK. Then we have a law, right? You are supposed to come in legally. I would put people out and I would have an expedited way of getting them back into the country so they can be legal.

BASH: OK, hold on. Let me just -- hold on that point right there. When you say get people out, are you talking about a mass deportation?

TRUMP: We don't know who these people are. BASH: But how do you find them?

TRUMP: We have to find them.

BASH: How do you do that? You are a business guy.

TRUMP: Excuse me. We've got to find them.

BASH: But how?

TRUMP: Politicians aren't going to find them because they have no clue. We will find them. We will get them out.

BASH: When you say get them out, just the process of that. There are a lot of smart people who have been focused on this for a long time and say it's just not feasible.

TRUMP: It's feasible if you know how to manage. Politicians don't know how to manage.

[04:50:00] BASH: So, you see, John, not an entirely fully formed position on immigration specifically on what to do with the undocumented people in this country so far. And, you know, when it comes to the whole idea of DREAMers, the young people who came through this country through no fault of their own, it was interesting to hear Donald Trump say out loud, almost think out loud about what his position could be.

Also it will be interesting to see how that plays out when he is standing next to nine other candidates, competitors for the Republican nomination during the debate next week -- John.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: Dana, thanks so much.

Almost policy on the fly right here.

Our breaking news this morning: a piece of debris on Reunion Island, 2,500 miles away from where they have been searching for MH370. Is this the breakthrough so many have been waiting for? We have a reporter live on Reunion Island, new developments this morning.

Stay with us.

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BERMAN: Breaking news this morning: a major development in the search for the missing Malaysia Airline MH370. A piece of debris recovered in the island on the western Indian Ocean, thousands of miles from the search zone. It does appear to be from a Boeing 777.

CNN's Tom Foreman with more now and how officials can figure out it is from the missing Malaysian jet.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) [04:55:01] TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This piece of debris is about seven feet long, maybe three or four feet wide. And we're now told it is consistent with what you would find on a 777 made by Boeing.

So, let's bring up a model of the missing plane and talk about where you would find it on the plane. Our aviation analysts say it would likely be on the back side of the left wing right in here, a controlling flaperon as they call it. So, it meets the first part of the test for a match. It is the right type of piece to find.

It is also the right color and it's in the right condition. It has barnacles all over it. That's consistent with something that's been on the water for 500 days roughly. Now, you have to check out the identifiers, the serial numbers on this piece.

Almost every part of a big aircraft like this has serial numbers on it, like this seat cushion from a different plane. If they find the serial number on this other part, this thing they've just found and it matches the Malaysia Air flight, then that's the deal. They will know they absolutely have evidence of what happened to that plane.

It doesn't answer the question how did it wind up where it is. Remember, all of the search areas for this plane were over near the coast of Australia over here. How did this get all the way over there some 2,300 miles or more away. That's where they have to look at the currents and see if, in fact, ocean currents here were strong enough to push it over there to Reunion Island and give us maybe the first physical piece of what happened to the missing plane.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: Tom foreman, thank you so much.

We continue to follow the breaking news this morning on missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The breaking news, a piece of debris found on an island. Is it connected to the missing flight? We have a reporter on Reunion Island coming up next.

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