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EgyptAir Plane Disappears Over Mediterranean, Airline Says EgyptAir Plane Disappears Over Mediterranean, Airline Says
(35 minutes later)
CAIRO — An EgyptAir passenger jet traveling to Cairo from Paris with 66 people on board disappeared early Thursday over the Mediterranean, the airline said on its Twitter account.CAIRO — An EgyptAir passenger jet traveling to Cairo from Paris with 66 people on board disappeared early Thursday over the Mediterranean, the airline said on its Twitter account.
Flight 804, an Airbus A320, lost contact with radar systems over Greece at 2:45 a.m. Cairo time, 10 miles into Egyptian airspace, EgyptAir said. It had taken off from Paris three hours and 40 minutes earlier. Flight 804, an Airbus A320, lost contact with radar systems at 2:45 a.m. Cairo time, EgyptAir said. It had taken off from Paris three hours and 40 minutes earlier.
The airline said the plane had been traveling at an altitude of 37,000 feet and was carrying 56 passengers, including three children. In addition, according to the airline, three EgyptAir security personnel and seven crew members were also on board. EgyptAir added that it had alerted search and rescue teams and “all competent authorities,” and would update with further information as it became available. The airline said the plane had been traveling at an altitude of 37,000 feet and was carrying 56 passengers, including three children. In addition, according to the airline, three EgyptAir security personnel and seven crew members were on board. EgyptAir added that it had alerted search and rescue teams and “all competent authorities,” and would provide further information as it became available.
In another post, EgyptAir said the plane had been 10 miles inside Egyptian airspace when it disappeared.
Reuters, quoting the Egyptian state newspaper Ahram, said the crew had made no distress call, and that the last contact was 10 minutes before plane vanished.
Ehab Mohy el-Deen, the head of Egypt’s air navigation authority, said that Greek air traffic controllers notified their Egyptian counterparts that they had lost contact with the plane. “They did not radio for help or lose altitude. They just vanished,” he said.Ehab Mohy el-Deen, the head of Egypt’s air navigation authority, said that Greek air traffic controllers notified their Egyptian counterparts that they had lost contact with the plane. “They did not radio for help or lose altitude. They just vanished,” he said.
He added that it was too early to speculate on the cause of the disappearance or the plane’s fate, “but this is not normal, of course.”He added that it was too early to speculate on the cause of the disappearance or the plane’s fate, “but this is not normal, of course.”
The pilot has more than of 6,000 flying hours, and the co-pilot 2,700 hours, according to the airline’s Twitter posts.The pilot has more than of 6,000 flying hours, and the co-pilot 2,700 hours, according to the airline’s Twitter posts.
The passengers, the airline said, included 30 Egyptians, 15 French and two Iraqis.
At Cairo’s airport, relatives and friends waiting for the passengers were taken to a separate area.At Cairo’s airport, relatives and friends waiting for the passengers were taken to a separate area.
Early Thursday, a spokesman for France’s Foreign Ministry, Romain Nadal, responded by text to a question on the status of the flight, saying that the government was in the process of verifying the plane’s disappearance. A spokesman for France’s Foreign Ministry, Romain Nadal, responded by text early Thursday to a question on the status of the flight, saying that the government was in the process of verifying the plane’s disappearance.
Last October, a Russian jetliner broke up in midair 23 minutes after takeoff from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh, killing all 224 people on board. In October, a Russian jetliner broke up in midair 23 minutes after takeoff from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh, killing all 224 people on board.
The Islamic State, whose local affiliate is fighting the Egyptian military in Sinai, claimed that it brought down the plane, an Airbus A321-200. The Islamic State, whose local affiliate is fighting the Egyptian military in Sinai, claimed that it had brought down the plane, an Airbus A321-200.
Egypt initially denied that the crash was connected to terrorism, even as Russia and Britain said they that believed a bomb was responsible. But in February, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said that the flight had been brought down by terrorists although he did not specify which group. Egypt initially denied that the crash was connected to terrorism, even as Russia and Britain said they that believed a bomb was responsible. But in February, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said that the flight had been brought down by terrorists, although he did not specify which group.
The crash dealt a crippling blow to Egypt’s beleaguered tourism industry, which had already declined sharply in recent years, and helped precipitate a decline in the value of the Egyptian currency in recent months.The crash dealt a crippling blow to Egypt’s beleaguered tourism industry, which had already declined sharply in recent years, and helped precipitate a decline in the value of the Egyptian currency in recent months.
Russia and Britain have suspended flights to Sharm el Sheikh since the crash. The Egyptian investigation has yet to official identify the exact cause. But Vladimir V. Putin and Mr. Sisi discussed the resumption of flights in a telephone call on May 10, according to a Kremlin statement. Russia and Britain have suspended flights to Sharm el Sheikh since the crash. The Egyptian investigation has yet to officially identify the exact cause. But President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and Mr. Sisi discussed the resumption of flights in a telephone call on May 10, according to a Kremlin statement.
EgyptAir’s security procedures came under further scrutiny in March after a passenger hijacked a domestic flight to Cairo from Alexandria and diverted it to Cyprus. The hijacker, Seif Eldin Mustafa, who was wearing a wearing a fake explosives vest, said he wanted to free female prisoners from Egyptian jails. EgyptAir’s security procedures came under further scrutiny in March after a passenger hijacked a domestic flight to Cairo from Alexandria and diverted it to Cyprus. The hijacker, Seif Eldin Mustafa, who was wearing a fake explosives vest, said he wanted to free female prisoners from Egyptian jails.
The crisis ended hours later with the surrender of Mr. Mustafa, who the Cypriot authorities later said was suffering from psycholgical problems. The crisis ended hours later with the surrender of Mr. Mustafa, who the Cypriot authorities later said was suffering from psychological problems.
Security at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport, from where Flight 804 took off, was tightened after the terrorist attacks on the French capital last November and scrutiny of passengers and luggage was also stepped up in the wake of the bombing of Brussels Airport in March. Security at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport, where Flight 804 had departed, was tightened after the terrorist attacks on the French capital in November, and scrutiny of passengers and luggage was also stepped up in the wake of the bombing of Brussels Airport in March.
After the November attacks, the French authorities have used the threat of terrorism to justify raids of employee lockers at Charles de Gaulle as well as a systematic review of the roughly 87,000 airport employees who have badges giving them access to secure areas that include the tarmac, baggage handling and cargo storage. Those reviews have led the authorities to revoke dozens of badges for security reasons, according to the airport police.After the November attacks, the French authorities have used the threat of terrorism to justify raids of employee lockers at Charles de Gaulle as well as a systematic review of the roughly 87,000 airport employees who have badges giving them access to secure areas that include the tarmac, baggage handling and cargo storage. Those reviews have led the authorities to revoke dozens of badges for security reasons, according to the airport police.
Rules that ban passengers from carrying liquids, gels and aerosols in the hand luggage were also extended to apply to airline and airport personnel as well as anyone with access to secure areas of the airport. Rules that prohibit passengers from carrying liquids, gels and aerosols in hand luggage were also extended to apply to airline and airport personnel as well as anyone with access to secure areas of the airport.