If the wing was found in the bay also couldn't it have been this that struck the tail , correct the photo does make the tail look undamaged but the rudder is missing , could something striking just the rudder cause the whole tail to be torn off , also we don't know what the damage was to the rear of the aircraft below the tail , apparantly it nose dived into the ground suggesting maybe the whole of the tail may have been damaged.
Deepest sympathy to all the relatives