video:
Missing Egypt Air
An EgyptAir passenger jet went missing early Thursday morning just after entering Egyptian airspace. The plane was flying from Paris to Cairo with 66 people on board. (May 19)...
An EgyptAir flight from Paris to Cairo lost contact with radar early Thursday morning with 66 people on board. Here's what we know.
What happened to Airbus A320 Flight MS804?
An EgyptAir flight from Paris to Cairo carrying 66 passengers and crew disappeared from radar over the Mediterranean Sea early Thursday and crashed, French President Francois Hollande confirmed in a news conference. He said it was too early to determine the cause of the crash. EgyptAir said the Airbus A320 commercial airline jet lost radar contact at 2:45 a.m. local time at 37,000 feet. The aircraft normally travels the 1,993-mile distance in four hours and 20 minutes.
Who was aboard the plane?
The plane was traveling with 10 crew and 56 passengers, including one child and two infants. EgyptAir listed the nationalities of the passengers as: 30 Egyptians, 15 French, two Iraqis and one each from Sudan, Chad, Portugal, Algeria, Canada, Great Britain, Belgium, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Who is looking for the missing jet?
Egypt's Civil Aviation Ministry said search and rescue teams were looking for the missing jet near the Greek island of Crete. The airline tweeted that special teams from the Egyptian Armed Forces had also joined the search. France offered to send military planes and boats. Greece is also participating in the operation.
Is there any connection to terrorism?
We don't know. There was no immediate information about what caused the plane's disappearance from radar. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said no scenario could be ruled out at the moment as for what caused the plane to disappear. Egypt’s state news agency quoted Prime Minister Sherif Ismail as saying there was no "distress call." Greece's defense minister said the plane made abrupt turns and suddenly lost altitude just before vanishing from radar.
What were the weather conditions?
Conditions were clear and calm when the plane crossed over the Mediterranean Sea, CNN reported.
How widely used is the airbus?
The A320 is one of the most used Airbus planes. It is a single-aisle plane that usually seats about 150 people and is used for short- and medium-range flights around the world. Nearly 4,000 are in operation, according the company’s website.
How can family find out more information?
EgyptAir has provided free contact numbers for loved ones: 080077770000 from any landline in Egypt and + 202 25989320 outside Egypt or any mobile in Egypt.
No comments:
Post a Comment