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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)
8.18am BST
08:18
Here’s a rundown of what we do and don’t know so far about the missing flight:
Related: Q&A: key questions about missing EgyptAir flight MS 804
8.12am BST
08:12
The French foreign office has set up an emergency phone line for people worried about relatives and friends on flight MS804:
francediplo: Disparition du vol #EgyptAir - Le ministère des Affaires étrangères a ouvert une cellule de crise : 01 43 17 55 95
8.08am BST
08:08
The Egyptian prime minister, Sherif Ismail, is at Cairo international airport, EgyptAir says:
Engineer Ismael was presented with a detailed briefing about the situation from the crisis team
and he has directed all the concerned authorities to take all necessary action for dealing with the crisis.
(Ismail is a former engineer.)
7.55am BST
07:55
The Egyptian navy, air force and coastguard are all involved in the search for the missing plane, reports from Cairo say.
Greece has also joined the search, taking place around 280km north of the Egyptian coast in the Mediterranean, sending two aircraft and a frigate. Greece said it also had helicopters on standby in case rescue operations were necessary.
7.51am BST
07:51
There is some confusion over this new distress signal, reported to have been received at 04.26 local time (02.26 GMT).
This is two hours after the last confirmed contact via radar, which was at 02.30 local time (00.30 GMT).
But it is possible that the later signal, which has been described in some reports as a distress call, could have been an automated distress signal from an emergency locator beacon.
7.36am BST7.36am BST
07:3607:36
What we know so farWhat we know so far
Claire PhippsClaire Phipps
UpdatedUpdated
at 7.40am BSTat 7.40am BST
7.26am BST7.26am BST
07:2607:26
Emergency beacon 'detected at 4.26am'Emergency beacon 'detected at 4.26am'
EgyptAir says that the plane’s emergency devices (possibly an emergency locator transmitter or beacon) sent a distress signal that was received at 4.26am, some two hours after the previously stated last radar contact.EgyptAir says that the plane’s emergency devices (possibly an emergency locator transmitter or beacon) sent a distress signal that was received at 4.26am, some two hours after the previously stated last radar contact.
الساعة 04:26 محلي بتوقيت القاهرة فجر اليوم وجاري البحث.الساعة 04:26 محلي بتوقيت القاهرة فجر اليوم وجاري البحث.
7.23am BST7.23am BST
07:2307:23
Matthew WeaverMatthew Weaver
The UK foreign office in London could not confirm reports that a British national was on board the missing the Airbus.The UK foreign office in London could not confirm reports that a British national was on board the missing the Airbus.
A spokeswoman gave this statement:A spokeswoman gave this statement:
Following reports that EgyptAir flight MS804 has gone missing en route from Paris to Cairo, we are in urgent contact with the local authorities in Paris and Cairo to obtain further information.Following reports that EgyptAir flight MS804 has gone missing en route from Paris to Cairo, we are in urgent contact with the local authorities in Paris and Cairo to obtain further information.
7.16am BST7.16am BST
07:1607:16
French prime minister Manuel Valls says “no theory can be ruled out” in investigating the disappearance of MS804, which left Paris Charles de Gaulle airport late on Wednesday night.French prime minister Manuel Valls says “no theory can be ruled out” in investigating the disappearance of MS804, which left Paris Charles de Gaulle airport late on Wednesday night.
Speaking to RTL radio on Thursday morning, Valls said:Speaking to RTL radio on Thursday morning, Valls said:
We are in close contact with the Egyptian authorities, both civil and military.We are in close contact with the Egyptian authorities, both civil and military.
The Egyptian authorities have already sent air reconnaissance teams to the site, and France is ready to help with the search if the Egyptian authorities ask, of course.The Egyptian authorities have already sent air reconnaissance teams to the site, and France is ready to help with the search if the Egyptian authorities ask, of course.
At this stage, no theory can be ruled out regarding the causes of the disappearance.At this stage, no theory can be ruled out regarding the causes of the disappearance.
EgyptAir has said 15 of the 56 passengers on board the missing plane are French.EgyptAir has said 15 of the 56 passengers on board the missing plane are French.
7.02am BST7.02am BST
07:0207:02
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.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.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 BST6.57am BST
06:5706:57
Reports from Egypt suggest search and rescue efforts are focusing on the Mediterranean; Greece is also assisting in the search.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: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/y14vnYgOthOur 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 BST6.52am BST
06:5206:52
Contact lost 280km from Egyptian coastContact lost 280km from Egyptian coast
Updated information from EgyptAir says: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.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.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 BST6.48am BST
06:4806:48
EGYPTAIR has hosted the passengers' families near to Cairo Airport and has provided doctors, translators and all the necessary services.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 BST
06:39
Passenger nationalities
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.
Updated
at 6.43am BST
6.30am BST
06:30
Lara El Gibaly sends this update from Cairo international airport:
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.
Updated
at 6.30am BST
6.26am BST
06:26
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.
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”.
6.22am BST
06:22
Here is the scene at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, where it is currently around 7.20am:
6.17am BST
06:17
Michael Safi
An EgyptAir passenger jet carrying 66 people 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 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.
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.
Related: Fears for missing EgyptAir flight 804 with 66 people on board
Updated
at 7.39am BST
6.07am BST
06:07
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.
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.
Updated
at 6.09am BST
6.03am BST
06:03
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.
5.55am BST
05:55
What 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:
Updated
at 5.56am BST
5.49am BST
05:49
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.