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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)
7.02am BST
07:02
The French government will hold an emergency meeting in around half an hour to discuss the plane’s disappearance, the French president’s office has said.
President François Hollande has already spoken to his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Hollande’s office said, and the two countries would be cooperating to establish the circumstances of the plane’s disappearance.
6.57am BST
06:57
Reports from Egypt suggest search and rescue efforts are focusing on the Mediterranean; Greece is also assisting in the search.
Flightradar24 pinpoints the last recorded point of contact with the plane, which was travelling at just under 37,000 feet:
Our last recorded point of contact with #MS804 is 33.6757, 28.7924 at 36,975 feet.https://t.co/6tH4GQzOWU pic.twitter.com/y14vnYgOth
6.52am BST
06:52
Contact lost 280km from Egyptian coast
Updated information from EgyptAir says:
EgyptAir A320 aircraft flight number MS804 lost contact with radar above the Mediterranean sea about 280km (175 miles) from the Egyptian seacoast at 2.30am [local time] as the flight was expected to arrive Cairo airport at 3.15am.
This is quite different to earlier reports from the airline that the last-known contact was around 50km north of the Egyptian coastline.
6.48am BST
06:48
EGYPTAIR has hosted the passengers' families near to Cairo Airport and has provided doctors, translators and all the necessary services.
6.41am BST
06:41
EgyptAir has also just updated information about the time contact with the plane was lost, now saying it was 2.30am local time (00.30 GMT/01.30 BST/10.30 AEST), and not 2.45am, as it earlier stated.
6.39am BST6.39am BST
06:3906:39
Passenger nationalitiesPassenger nationalities
EgyptAir has published a list of most of those on board by nationality: EgyptAir has published a list of the 56 passengers on board by nationality:
وجنسياتهم :15 فرنسي،30 مصري،1 بريطاني،1 بلجيكي،2 عراقي،1 كويتي،1 سعودي،1 سوداني،1 تشادي،1 برتغالي،1 جزائري،1 كندي.وجنسياتهم :15 فرنسي،30 مصري،1 بريطاني،1 بلجيكي،2 عراقي،1 كويتي،1 سعودي،1 سوداني،1 تشادي،1 برتغالي،1 جزائري،1 كندي.
Updated
at 6.43am BST
6.30am BST6.30am BST
06:3006:30
Lara El Gibaly sends this update from Cairo international airport:Lara El Gibaly sends this update from Cairo international airport:
Terminal 3 has been closed off except for passengers. Other flights are operating normally.Terminal 3 has been closed off except for passengers. Other flights are operating normally.
According to airport security, the families of passengers of the EgyptAir flight have been relocated to a lounge in terminal 1, where an emergency team is monitoring the situation.According to airport security, the families of passengers of the EgyptAir flight have been relocated to a lounge in terminal 1, where an emergency team is monitoring the situation.
UpdatedUpdated
at 6.30am BSTat 6.30am BST
6.26am BST6.26am BST
06:2606:26
The New York Times cites Ehab Mohy el-Deen, head of the Egyptian air navigation authority.The New York Times cites Ehab Mohy el-Deen, head of the Egyptian air navigation authority.
He says Greek air traffic controllers notified their Egyptian counterparts that they had lost contact with the plane, the NYT reports.He says Greek air traffic controllers notified their Egyptian counterparts that they had lost contact with the plane, the NYT reports.
They did not radio for help or lose altitude. They just vanished.They did not radio for help or lose altitude. They just vanished.
He said it was too early to speculate on causes and outcomes, “but this is not normal, of course”.He said it was too early to speculate on causes and outcomes, “but this is not normal, of course”.
6.22am BST6.22am BST
06:2206:22
Here is the scene at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, where it is currently around 7.20am:Here is the scene at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, where it is currently around 7.20am:
6.17am BST6.17am BST
06:1706:17
Michael SafiMichael Safi
An EgyptAir passenger jet carrying 66 passengers has vanished en route to Cairo.An EgyptAir passenger jet carrying 66 passengers has vanished en route to Cairo.
The flight departed from Paris on Wednesday evening and lost contact with ground crews at 2.45am local time, about 16km (10 miles) inside Egyptian airspace.The flight departed from Paris on Wednesday evening and lost contact with ground crews at 2.45am local time, about 16km (10 miles) inside Egyptian airspace.
The 12-year-old Airbus A320-232 was about 40 minutes from its destination. It was the aircraft’s fifth flight of the day, including journeys to Asmara, Eritrea and Carthage in Tunisia.The 12-year-old Airbus A320-232 was about 40 minutes from its destination. It was the aircraft’s fifth flight of the day, including journeys to Asmara, Eritrea and Carthage in Tunisia.
The airline’s vice-chairman, Ahmed Abdel, told CNN the plane made no distress call.The airline’s vice-chairman, Ahmed Abdel, told CNN the plane made no distress call.
There were “no recorded snags coming out of Cairo” or reported before leaving Charles de Gaulle, he said.There were “no recorded snags coming out of Cairo” or reported before leaving Charles de Gaulle, he said.
The captain had also recorded more than 6,000 flying hours, including 2,000 hours in that model, Abdel said. There had not been any special cargo or notification of dangerous goods on board, he added.The captain had also recorded more than 6,000 flying hours, including 2,000 hours in that model, Abdel said. There had not been any special cargo or notification of dangerous goods on board, he added.
Related: Fears for missing EgyptAir flight 804 with 66 people on boardRelated: Fears for missing EgyptAir flight 804 with 66 people on board
6.07am BST6.07am BST
06:0706:07
Greece has joined the search and rescue operation for the EgyptAir flight, Associated Press reports.Greece has joined the search and rescue operation for the EgyptAir flight, Associated Press reports.
Two aircraft, one C-130 Hercules and one early warning aircraft, have been dispatched, officials at the Hellenic national defence general staff said.Two aircraft, one C-130 Hercules and one early warning aircraft, have been dispatched, officials at the Hellenic national defence general staff said.
They said one frigate was also heading to the area, and helicopters are on standby on the southern island of Karpathos for potential rescue or recovery operations.They said one frigate was also heading to the area, and helicopters are on standby on the southern island of Karpathos for potential rescue or recovery operations.
UpdatedUpdated
at 6.09am BSTat 6.09am BST
6.03am BST6.03am BST
06:0306:03
Airbus, the manufacturer of the missing A320 aircraft, says it has “no further details” on MS804, but will issue a statement later:Airbus, the manufacturer of the missing A320 aircraft, says it has “no further details” on MS804, but will issue a statement later:
We are aware of media reports. At this time we have no further details, but we will provide further information when available.We are aware of media reports. At this time we have no further details, but we will provide further information when available.
5.55am BST5.55am BST
05:5505:55
What we know so farWhat we know so far
As Europe wakes to news of the missing flight, here is what we know at this point, four hours after the plane lost contact:As Europe wakes to news of the missing flight, here is what we know at this point, four hours after the plane lost contact:
UpdatedUpdated
at 5.56am BSTat 5.56am BST
5.49am BST5.49am BST
05:4905:49
Flight MS804 has now been missing for four hours: last contact was at 02.45 local time. It is now 06.45 in Cairo, where it has been daylight for close to two hours.Flight MS804 has now been missing for four hours: last contact was at 02.45 local time. It is now 06.45 in Cairo, where it has been daylight for close to two hours.
5.45am BST
05:45
Reuters cites a French airport official saying of flight MS804:
It did not land, that is all we can say for the moment.
5.37am BST
05:37
One child, two babies on board
A further update from EgyptAir:
It confirms that 56 passengers were on board, including one child and two babies
It says the captain has 6,275 flying hours, including 2,101 on the A320; the copilot has 2,766.
The plane was manufactured in 2003.
Specialist teams and the Egyptian armed forces are still searching for the plane.
Egypt air is following the situation closely with the relevant authorities through the integrated operations centre.
The company also provides free contact numbers: 0800 7777 0000 from any landline in Egypt and + 202 2598 9320 outside Egypt or any mobile in Egypt.
5.32am BST
05:32
Associated Press reports that Ihab Raslan, a spokesman for the Egyptian civil aviation agency, told SkyNews Arabia that the Airbus A320 most likely crashed into the sea.
However, he also said the plane was about to enter Egyptian airspace when it disappeared from radar, contradicting the airline, which said it was 10 miles (16km) inside Egyptian airspace when contact was lost.
It is not uncommon for conflicting information to surface at this stage – the number of those on board has already been adjusted from 69 to 66.
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