This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/8076848.stm
The article has changed 22 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| French plane lost over Atlantic | French plane lost over Atlantic |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| An Air France plane carrying 228 people from Brazil's Rio de Janeiro to France has gone missing over the Atlantic. | |
| Air France said the plane sent a message at 0214 GMT saying it had an electrical short circuit after experiencing turbulence. | |
| Brazil's air force said a search and rescue mission was under way near the island of Fernando de Noronha. | |
| It added that the plane was well across the Atlantic when it disappeared, and the search had to cover a wide area. | |
| French minister Jean-Louis Borloo said the plane had probably had an accident and ruled out hijacking. | French minister Jean-Louis Borloo said the plane had probably had an accident and ruled out hijacking. |
| An airport official told AFP the Airbus 330-200 had been expected to arrive in Paris at 1110 local time (0910 GMT). | An airport official told AFP the Airbus 330-200 had been expected to arrive in Paris at 1110 local time (0910 GMT). |
| Another official said it was possible that the plane had a transponder problem but this was very rare. | Another official said it was possible that the plane had a transponder problem but this was very rare. |
| "We are very worried," he said, quoted by AFP news agency. | "We are very worried," he said, quoted by AFP news agency. |
| Crisis centre | Crisis centre |
| Mr Borloo, the minister in charge of transport, said the plane would already have run out of fuel. | Mr Borloo, the minister in charge of transport, said the plane would already have run out of fuel. |
| "By now it would be beyond its kerosene reserves so unfortunately we must now envisage the most tragic scenario," he said, quoted by Reuters news agency. | "By now it would be beyond its kerosene reserves so unfortunately we must now envisage the most tragic scenario," he said, quoted by Reuters news agency. |
| Flight AF 447 left Rio at 1900 local time (2200 GMT) on Sunday. It had 216 passengers and 12 crew on board, including three pilots. | Flight AF 447 left Rio at 1900 local time (2200 GMT) on Sunday. It had 216 passengers and 12 crew on board, including three pilots. |
| An Air France spokeswoman said there had been no radio contact with the plane "for a while". | An Air France spokeswoman said there had been no radio contact with the plane "for a while". |
| TIMELINE Flight AF 447 left Rio at 1900 local time (2200 GMT) on SundayAirbus A330-200 carrying 216 passengers and at least 12 crewContact lost 0130 GMTMissed scheduled landing at 1110 local time (0910 GMT) in Paris Air disasters timeline | TIMELINE Flight AF 447 left Rio at 1900 local time (2200 GMT) on SundayAirbus A330-200 carrying 216 passengers and at least 12 crewContact lost 0130 GMTMissed scheduled landing at 1110 local time (0910 GMT) in Paris Air disasters timeline |
| It is reported to have disappeared 300km (186 miles) north-east of the Brazilian city of Natal. | It is reported to have disappeared 300km (186 miles) north-east of the Brazilian city of Natal. |
| Brazilian air force spokesman Col Henry Munhoz told Brazilian TV it had failed to be picked up by radar on the Cape Verde Islands on its way across the Atlantic. | Brazilian air force spokesman Col Henry Munhoz told Brazilian TV it had failed to be picked up by radar on the Cape Verde Islands on its way across the Atlantic. |
| "Air force planes left Fernando de Noronha and are flying towards Europe to start the search for the missing plane," he said. | "Air force planes left Fernando de Noronha and are flying towards Europe to start the search for the missing plane," he said. |
| Airport authorities have set up a crisis centre at Charles de Gaulle. | Airport authorities have set up a crisis centre at Charles de Gaulle. |
| An Air France official told AFP that people awaiting the flight would be received in a special area at the airport's second terminal. | An Air France official told AFP that people awaiting the flight would be received in a special area at the airport's second terminal. |
| French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been informed of the incident and has expressed his deep concern, his office said. | French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been informed of the incident and has expressed his deep concern, his office said. |
| He has demanded that the relevant authorities do everything they can to find the plane and "shed light on the circumstances surrounding its disappearance as rapidly as possible". | He has demanded that the relevant authorities do everything they can to find the plane and "shed light on the circumstances surrounding its disappearance as rapidly as possible". |
| This is the first major incident in Brazilian air space since a Tam flight crashed in Sao Paulo in July 2007 killing 199 people. | This is the first major incident in Brazilian air space since a Tam flight crashed in Sao Paulo in July 2007 killing 199 people. |
| Have you been affected by this story? Send us your comments using the form below. | Have you been affected by this story? Send us your comments using the form below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |