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EgyptAir flight MS804 disappears from radar between Paris and Cairo – live updates EgyptAir flight MS804 disappears from radar between Paris and Cairo – live updates
(35 minutes later)
5.27am BST
05:27
Michael Safi
According to Airsafe.com, the Airbus A320 – considered a safe and reliable aircraft – has been involved in a number of incidents, including:
5.22am BST
05:22
This graphic from Flightradar24 shows what it believes to be the last satellite communication from the plane, which tallies with the report from EgyptAir’s Ahmed Abdel that the location of last contact was around 30-40 miles north from the Egyptian coast.
Last received ADS-B position from #MS804 with Egyptian FIR (Egyptian airspace) boundary overlay. pic.twitter.com/TCGyEM6zT7
5.20am BST
05:20
Ahmed Abdel says – and this differs slightly from the numbers given by EgyptAir via Twitter earlier – there were 66 people on board:
There were “no recorded snags coming out of Cairo” or reported before leaving Charles de Gaulle for Cairo, he says.
The captain on flight has 6,000+ flying hours, including 2,000 on an A320.
Abdel says there was no special cargo on the flight and no notification had been made to the captain of dangerous goods on board.
5.17am BST
05:17
'No distress call'
Ahmed Abdel, the vice-chairman of EgyptAir holding company, has been speaking to CNN.
He says there was no distress call from the plane.
Search and rescue has been dispatched and are now at the scene … Daylight has just broken around an hour ago, so we should get some information within the next hour.
He says search teams were informed the coordinates of where the aircraft lost contact and a rescue plane has arrived at that area.
This is at the border of the flight information region (FIR) between Athens and Egypt, around 30/40 miles north of the Egyptian coast.
5.05am BST
05:05
A useful catch-up from Reuters:
National carrier EgyptAir said a plane carrying 69 passengers and crew on a flight from Paris to Cairo had gone missing on Thursday, disappearing from radar over the Mediterranean sea.
“An official source at EgyptAir stated that Flight MS804, which departed Paris at 23:09 (CEST), heading to Cairo has disappeared from radar,” the airline said on its official Twitter account.
Later Tweets by EgyptAir said the plane, which was travelling at an altitude of 37,000 feet (11,280m), disappeared soon after entering Egyptian airspace. The aircraft was carrying 59 passengers and 10 crew.
According to flightradar24.com, the plane was an Airbus A320 and its last known position was above the Mediterranean sea.
An Airbus A321 operated by Russia’s Metrojet crashed in the Sinai in 31 October 2015, killing all 224 people on board. Russia and Western governments have said the plane was likely brought down by a bomb, and the Islamic State militant group said it had smuggled an explosive on board.
Reuters reported in January that an EgyptAir mechanic, whose cousin joined Islamic State in Syria, is suspected of planting the bomb, according to sources familiar with the matter.
In March, an EgyptAir plane flying from Alexandria to Cairo was hijacked and forced to land in Cyprus by a man with what authorities said was a fake suicide belt. He was arrested after giving himself up.
France’s aviation authority could not immediately be reached for comment.
5.03am BST
05:03
The late-night departure from Paris Charles de Gaulle was this plane’s fifth flight of the day, according to this tracker:
the Paris-Cairo flight was the 5th that day for #MS804 @Claire_Phipps pic.twitter.com/WJqa9vHHbR
4.59am BST
04:59
The fact that the plane was inside Egyptian airspace when contact was lost does not necessarily mean it is over land, as this graphic indicates:
The start of Egyptian air space stretches far into the Mediterranean as identified by the blue order. #MS804 pic.twitter.com/QDiWkQPe2P
4.57am BST
04:57
Flight timings
The plane was around 3 hours and 40 minutes into its journey (that was not, as earlier reported, the total journey time) when contact was lost.
Updated
at 4.57am BST
4.48am BST4.48am BST
04:4804:48
Egypt’s civil aviation ministry has confirmed that search and rescue teams are looking for the missing plane.Egypt’s civil aviation ministry has confirmed that search and rescue teams are looking for the missing plane.
It also confirms that contact with the plane was lost 10miles/16km within Egyptian airspace.It also confirms that contact with the plane was lost 10miles/16km within Egyptian airspace.
4.42am BST4.42am BST
04:4204:42
What we knowWhat we know
Details are still – understandably – sketchy and facts still emerging.Details are still – understandably – sketchy and facts still emerging.
Here is what we know, via EgyptAir’s official statements:Here is what we know, via EgyptAir’s official statements:
UpdatedUpdated
at 4.43am BSTat 4.43am BST
4.37am BST4.37am BST
04:3704:37
Egyptair was at the centre of another dramatic episode in March, when a plane flying between Alexandria and Cairo, Flight MS181, was hijacked and directed to land in Larnaca, Cyprus.Egyptair was at the centre of another dramatic episode in March, when a plane flying between Alexandria and Cairo, Flight MS181, was hijacked and directed to land in Larnaca, Cyprus.
Initial speculation then that the hijacker was a terrorist was later downplayed, as it became apparent the man’s motives were connected to his estranged wife. He was arrested and all passengers and crew were released unharmed.Initial speculation then that the hijacker was a terrorist was later downplayed, as it became apparent the man’s motives were connected to his estranged wife. He was arrested and all passengers and crew were released unharmed.
Related: EgyptAir plane hijacker arrested at Cyprus airportRelated: EgyptAir plane hijacker arrested at Cyprus airport
4.31am BST4.31am BST
04:3104:31
A clarification from Egyptair, which now says the plane “faded” from contact 10 miles (16km) inside Egyptian airspace:A clarification from Egyptair, which now says the plane “faded” from contact 10 miles (16km) inside Egyptian airspace:
تعديل: اختفت الطائرة بعد الدخول إلى المجال الجوي المصري بـ 10 ميل.تعديل: اختفت الطائرة بعد الدخول إلى المجال الجوي المصري بـ 10 ميل.
4.29am BST4.29am BST
04:2904:29
Egyptair says the plane disappeared around 130km (80 miles) before entering Egyptian air space.Egyptair says the plane disappeared around 130km (80 miles) before entering Egyptian air space.
this shot from flight radar appears to indicate where @EGYPTAIR #MS804 disappeared from radar screens @Claire_Phipps pic.twitter.com/APjVUPvZXjthis shot from flight radar appears to indicate where @EGYPTAIR #MS804 disappeared from radar screens @Claire_Phipps pic.twitter.com/APjVUPvZXj
4.20am BST4.20am BST
04:2004:20
Contact lost at 2.45am Cairo timeContact lost at 2.45am Cairo time
Some more information now from Egyptair:Some more information now from Egyptair:
It says flight MS804 lost contact with radar at 02:45 Cairo time.It says flight MS804 lost contact with radar at 02:45 Cairo time.
The plane was at 37,000 ft and disappeared 80 miles (around 10 minutes) before entering Egyptian airspace.The plane was at 37,000 ft and disappeared 80 miles (around 10 minutes) before entering Egyptian airspace.
Search and rescue teams are being assembled.Search and rescue teams are being assembled.
4.18am BST4.18am BST
04:1804:18
The flight was scheduled to leave Paris at 11.09pm local time – that’s around six hours ago – for a journey time of around 3 hours 45 minutes. The flight was scheduled to leave Paris at 11.09pm local time – that’s around six hours ago – for a journey time of around 3 hours 45 minutes*.
It’s not clear at what time contact with the plane was lost. The confirmation from Egyptair was made public around half an hour ago.It’s not clear at what time contact with the plane was lost. The confirmation from Egyptair was made public around half an hour ago.
[*Clarification: the journey time before contact was lost was around 3 hours 45 minutes; the total expected journey time between Paris and Cairo would have been longer.]
Updated
at 4.58am BST
4.14am BST4.14am BST
04:1404:14
Information on the missing flight is still sketchy, but Flightradar24 says the plane in question is an Airbus A320-232.Information on the missing flight is still sketchy, but Flightradar24 says the plane in question is an Airbus A320-232.
Egyptair says 59 passengers and 10 crew are aboard.Egyptair says 59 passengers and 10 crew are aboard.
#MS804 operated by an Airbus A320-232 (SU-GCC), delivered in 2003. https://t.co/fXqqYNewe4 pic.twitter.com/f86WS4gGCR#MS804 operated by an Airbus A320-232 (SU-GCC), delivered in 2003. https://t.co/fXqqYNewe4 pic.twitter.com/f86WS4gGCR
4.11am BST4.11am BST
04:1104:11
Airline Egyptair has said one of its planes has disappeared from radar on a flight from Paris to Cairo.Airline Egyptair has said one of its planes has disappeared from radar on a flight from Paris to Cairo.
Its official Twitter account said:Its official Twitter account said:
An official source said Egypt air that flight MS804, which took off from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport to Cairo airport at 23.09 GMT Paris [with] 59 passengers on board and 10 crew members disappeared from the radar early in the morning.An official source said Egypt air that flight MS804, which took off from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport to Cairo airport at 23.09 GMT Paris [with] 59 passengers on board and 10 crew members disappeared from the radar early in the morning.
An informed source at EGYPTAIR stated that Flight no MS804,which departed Paris at 23:09 (CEST),heading to Cairo has disappeared from radar.An informed source at EGYPTAIR stated that Flight no MS804,which departed Paris at 23:09 (CEST),heading to Cairo has disappeared from radar.