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Egyptair flight MS804: 'Terrorism more likely than technical failure', says Egypt – live | Egyptair flight MS804: 'Terrorism more likely than technical failure', says Egypt – live |
(35 minutes later) | |
2.41pm BST | |
14:41 | |
Signs of possible wreckage were found off the Greek island of Crete, a Greek military spokesman told AFP. | |
“There have been finds southeast of Crete, inside the Cairo flight information area,” general staff spokesman Vassilis Beletsiotis said. He added that an Egyptian C-130 plane had spotted the floating objects, and ships would be sent to investigate. | |
Debris from missing #EgyptAir plane believed to have been found west of #Crete. #Greek officials expressing shock tt so far from crash site | |
2.33pm BST | |
14:33 | |
An RAF landing ship has been ordered to help in the search, according to the BBC’s defence correspondent Jonathan Beale. Defence secretary Michael Fallon has also offered to deploy a Hercules aircraft. | |
RFA Mounts Bay is sailing to help n search of missing #EgyptAir jet. Michael Fallon has also offered @RoyalAirForce Hercules to help | |
2.27pm BST | |
14:27 | |
Barack Obama has been briefed on the EgyptAir crash according to the White House. | |
The briefing was given by Lisa Monaco, adviser for homeland security and counter-terrorism, Reuters reported. | |
Obama asked to be updated throughout the day and directed administration officials to reach out to their international counterparts to offer support and assistance, deputy White House Press Secretary Eric Schultz said in a statement. | |
2.22pm BST | |
14:22 | |
Helena Smith | |
Greek state-run TV is confirming that debris from the missing EgyptAir plane has been found 230 nautical miles west of the Mediterranean island of Crete, writes Helena Smith. | |
Officials are expressing alarm and surprise that the wreckage -as yet officially unidentified - has been sited so far away from the site where the Airbus is believed to have come down, more than 100 nautical miles away off the southeastern island of Karpathos. | |
Winds in the area are southerly and would not precipitate such movement. The debris was identified by an Egyptian C-295 aircraft. Greek media is reporting that the debris could be life jackets. | |
Earlier Greece’s civil aviation authority issued a statement saying that the pilot of the fated EgyptAir plane was “in good spirits” when the country’s air traffic controllers made contact with crew. | |
At 02.48 AM, just before MS804 exited Greek airspace. “The pilot was in good spirits and thanked [us] in Greek,” the civil aviation authority said. | |
At 03:27 despite “repeated” efforts to make contact with crew again, “the pilot did not answer,” the authority added. | |
“At 03:29 the plane’s signal vanished from the radar approximately 7 nautical miles south/southeast of the point of Kumbi, in Cairo FIR,” the statement said. | |
Greek sources have told the Guardian that the possibility of a suicide bomber or explosive being the cuase of the crash “is very real.” Greece has mounted a search and rescue operation off the southeastern Aegean island of Karpathos where the Airbus is believed to come down. | |
2.15pm BST | |
14:15 | |
In his briefing to reporters Fathy admitted that the Egyptian authorities mistakenly reported that a signal was received two hours after air traffic control lost contact with MS804. | |
He said: “There was a mistake made by an official somewhere. He talked about a signal and then a few minutes after he came back and apologised, and he came back and said ‘sorry there was no signal’. After his first statement we all went to the press and said the signal was received, thereafter we denied that and we admit there was a mistake that happened.” | |
1.59pm BST | 1.59pm BST |
13:59 | 13:59 |
More on that possible find via Reuters: | More on that possible find via Reuters: |
A Greek frigate searching for a missing Egyptair aircraft discovered two large plastic floating objects in a sea area 230 miles south of the island of Crete on Thursday, Greek defence sources said. | A Greek frigate searching for a missing Egyptair aircraft discovered two large plastic floating objects in a sea area 230 miles south of the island of Crete on Thursday, Greek defence sources said. |
The two objects appeared to be pieces of plastic in white and red. They were spotted close to an area where a transponder signal was emitted earlier, the sources said. | The two objects appeared to be pieces of plastic in white and red. They were spotted close to an area where a transponder signal was emitted earlier, the sources said. |
Missing #EgyptAir aircraft debris found south of greek island of Karpathos in southern Mediterranean - greek state tv | Missing #EgyptAir aircraft debris found south of greek island of Karpathos in southern Mediterranean - greek state tv |
1.56pm BST | 1.56pm BST |
13:56 | 13:56 |
Possible debris found | Possible debris found |
Reuters reports a possible breakthrough. | Reuters reports a possible breakthrough. |
Greek authorities searching for the missing aircraft spot two floating objects in the sea 50 miles south of the island of Karpathos. | Greek authorities searching for the missing aircraft spot two floating objects in the sea 50 miles south of the island of Karpathos. |
Updated | Updated |
at 1.59pm BST | at 1.59pm BST |
1.51pm BST | 1.51pm BST |
13:51 | 13:51 |
‘Terrorism more likely than technical failure’ | ‘Terrorism more likely than technical failure’ |
Fathy conceded that terrorism was more likely than technical failure to be the cause of the crash . | Fathy conceded that terrorism was more likely than technical failure to be the cause of the crash . |
Despite his reluctance to be drawn on the causes, Fathy said: “If you analysis the situation properly the possibility of having a terror attack is higher than the possibility of having a technical [problem]. | Despite his reluctance to be drawn on the causes, Fathy said: “If you analysis the situation properly the possibility of having a terror attack is higher than the possibility of having a technical [problem]. |
Updated | Updated |
at 1.52pm BST | at 1.52pm BST |
1.41pm BST | 1.41pm BST |
13:41 | 13:41 |
“I am not happy with people making assumptions, while we haven’t found the wreckage yet”, Fahy said in English in response to some bad tempered questions. | “I am not happy with people making assumptions, while we haven’t found the wreckage yet”, Fahy said in English in response to some bad tempered questions. |
He said he didn’t know how big the search radius was. It was between Crete and another Greek island he said, after also mentioning the island of Karpathos. | He said he didn’t know how big the search radius was. It was between Crete and another Greek island he said, after also mentioning the island of Karpathos. |
1.37pm BST | 1.37pm BST |
13:37 | 13:37 |
Fathy says there were no known security issues with passengers on the plane. Asked whether there had been increase terrorist “chatter” before the plane disappeared, Fathy said: “not according to my information”. | Fathy says there were no known security issues with passengers on the plane. Asked whether there had been increase terrorist “chatter” before the plane disappeared, Fathy said: “not according to my information”. |
He also insisted that air travel to Egypt remained safe. | He also insisted that air travel to Egypt remained safe. |
Fathy confirmed that the plane made a stop in Tunisia before the flight to Paris. | Fathy confirmed that the plane made a stop in Tunisia before the flight to Paris. |
He also said nothing should be concluded from reported sightings of flashes in the sky at the time of plane’s disappearance. | He also said nothing should be concluded from reported sightings of flashes in the sky at the time of plane’s disappearance. |
Updated | Updated |
at 1.53pm BST | at 1.53pm BST |
1.23pm BST | 1.23pm BST |
13:23 | 13:23 |
Fathy confirms that the search operation is focused near the Greek Island of Karpathos. Earlier a Greek aviation source told AFP that the plane came down 130 nautical miles from the island. | Fathy confirms that the search operation is focused near the Greek Island of Karpathos. Earlier a Greek aviation source told AFP that the plane came down 130 nautical miles from the island. |
1.20pm BST | 1.20pm BST |
13:20 | 13:20 |
Here’s a summary of what we know so far about missing EgyptAir flight MS804. | Here’s a summary of what we know so far about missing EgyptAir flight MS804. |
1.06pm BST | 1.06pm BST |
13:06 | 13:06 |
Egypt’s prosecutor general has ordered a state security investigation into the missing plane. Meanwhile, Egypt’s aviation minister Sherif Fathy continues to bat away question. | Egypt’s prosecutor general has ordered a state security investigation into the missing plane. Meanwhile, Egypt’s aviation minister Sherif Fathy continues to bat away question. |
“When I have facts I will tell you the facts,” Fathy tells an increasingly rowdy press conference. “What else can I do?” he asks reporters. | “When I have facts I will tell you the facts,” Fathy tells an increasingly rowdy press conference. “What else can I do?” he asks reporters. |
Earlier Fathy said a terror attack or technical problems could not be ruled out as possible causes of the crash. Fathy said he did not know where the plane was. | Earlier Fathy said a terror attack or technical problems could not be ruled out as possible causes of the crash. Fathy said he did not know where the plane was. |
12.57pm BST | 12.57pm BST |
12:57 | 12:57 |
Our map on the flight’s last movements has been updated | Our map on the flight’s last movements has been updated |