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| Plane searchers spot ocean debris | Plane searchers spot ocean debris |
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| Brazilian aircraft searching for an Air France jet which went missing with 228 people aboard in an Atlantic storm have spotted debris on the ocean. | Brazilian aircraft searching for an Air France jet which went missing with 228 people aboard in an Atlantic storm have spotted debris on the ocean. |
| A plane seat and other items were sighted 650km (400 miles) north-east of Brazil's Fernando de Noronha island, the Brazilian air force said. | A plane seat and other items were sighted 650km (400 miles) north-east of Brazil's Fernando de Noronha island, the Brazilian air force said. |
| It could not be immediately confirmed that the debris came from the Airbus. | It could not be immediately confirmed that the debris came from the Airbus. |
| The jet was heading from Brazil to Paris when it vanished about four hours into its flight, early on Monday. | The jet was heading from Brazil to Paris when it vanished about four hours into its flight, early on Monday. |
| See a map of the plane's route | See a map of the plane's route |
| It [the plane] might have tried to make a turn, maybe to return to Fernando de Noronha Col Jorge Amaral Brazilian air force spokesman Passenger nationalities revealed In pictures: Waiting for news Mystery of Air France flight | It [the plane] might have tried to make a turn, maybe to return to Fernando de Noronha Col Jorge Amaral Brazilian air force spokesman Passenger nationalities revealed In pictures: Waiting for news Mystery of Air France flight |
| Air force spokesman Col Jorge Amaral said the seat had been spotted by search planes early on Tuesday. | Air force spokesman Col Jorge Amaral said the seat had been spotted by search planes early on Tuesday. |
| There were also small white pieces of debris, material that may be metallic and signs of oil and kerosene, which is used as jet fuel. | There were also small white pieces of debris, material that may be metallic and signs of oil and kerosene, which is used as jet fuel. |
| "The search is continuing because it's very little material in relation to the size [of the Airbus A330],"Col Amaral added. | "The search is continuing because it's very little material in relation to the size [of the Airbus A330],"Col Amaral added. |
| Officials, he said, needed "a piece that might have a serial number, some sort of identification" to be sure it came from the missing jet. | Officials, he said, needed "a piece that might have a serial number, some sort of identification" to be sure it came from the missing jet. |
| French Defence Minister Herve Morin has stressed there is still "no evidence whatsoever" as to the cause of the plane's loss | French Defence Minister Herve Morin has stressed there is still "no evidence whatsoever" as to the cause of the plane's loss |
| "We cannot, by definition, exclude a terrorist attack, because terrorism is the main threat for all Western democracies," he added. | "We cannot, by definition, exclude a terrorist attack, because terrorism is the main threat for all Western democracies," he added. |
| 'Life jacket' | 'Life jacket' |
| Plane crews from Brazil, France and other countries had narrowed their search to a zone half-way between Brazil and west Africa, hoping to pick up signals from the Airbus's beacons. | Plane crews from Brazil, France and other countries had narrowed their search to a zone half-way between Brazil and west Africa, hoping to pick up signals from the Airbus's beacons. |
| TIMELINE Flight AF 447 left Rio at 1900 local time (2200 GMT) on SundayAirbus A330-200 carrying 216 passengers and 12 crewContact lost 0130 GMTMissed scheduled landing at 1110 local time (0910 GMT) in Paris Timeline of Flight AF 447 Air disasters timeline | TIMELINE Flight AF 447 left Rio at 1900 local time (2200 GMT) on SundayAirbus A330-200 carrying 216 passengers and 12 crewContact lost 0130 GMTMissed scheduled landing at 1110 local time (0910 GMT) in Paris Timeline of Flight AF 447 Air disasters timeline |
| Indications that debris had been spotted first came in the early hours of the morning when it was detected by a plane flying over the area where the Air France flight went missing, the BBC's Gary Duffy reports from Brazil. | Indications that debris had been spotted first came in the early hours of the morning when it was detected by a plane flying over the area where the Air France flight went missing, the BBC's Gary Duffy reports from Brazil. |
| Then, after first light, another aircraft was able to identify a variety of material at two separate points more than 60km apart. | Then, after first light, another aircraft was able to identify a variety of material at two separate points more than 60km apart. |
| Col Amaral was quoted by the Associated Press as saying a life jacket had been spotted amid the debris. | Col Amaral was quoted by the Associated Press as saying a life jacket had been spotted amid the debris. |
| "The locations where the objects were found are towards the right of the point where the last signal of the plane was emitted," he told reporters in Rio. | "The locations where the objects were found are towards the right of the point where the last signal of the plane was emitted," he told reporters in Rio. |
| "That suggests that it might have tried to make a turn, maybe to return to Fernando de Noronha, but that is just a hypothesis." | "That suggests that it might have tried to make a turn, maybe to return to Fernando de Noronha, but that is just a hypothesis." |
| Searchers now planned to focus their efforts on collecting the debris and trying to identify it, he said. | Searchers now planned to focus their efforts on collecting the debris and trying to identify it, he said. |
| Electrical failures | Electrical failures |
| In his last radio message, at about 0200 GMT on Monday, the captain of Flight AF 447 reported entering turbulence, French media say. | In his last radio message, at about 0200 GMT on Monday, the captain of Flight AF 447 reported entering turbulence, French media say. |
| Irish doctor Aisling Butler, 26, was flying back with two friends | Irish doctor Aisling Butler, 26, was flying back with two friends |
| Up to a dozen reports of electrical failures were sent automatically from the plane before it vanished over the ocean just after. | Up to a dozen reports of electrical failures were sent automatically from the plane before it vanished over the ocean just after. |
| Most of the missing people are Brazilian or French but they include a total of 32 nationalities. Five Britons and three Irish citizens are among them. | Most of the missing people are Brazilian or French but they include a total of 32 nationalities. Five Britons and three Irish citizens are among them. |
| Crisis centres have been set up at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris and Rio's Tom Jobim international airport. | Crisis centres have been set up at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris and Rio's Tom Jobim international airport. |
| One of the Brazilians on board was Pedro Luis de Orleans e Braganca, a direct descendent of the last Brazilian emperior, Dom Pedro II, a spokesman for the family said. | One of the Brazilians on board was Pedro Luis de Orleans e Braganca, a direct descendent of the last Brazilian emperior, Dom Pedro II, a spokesman for the family said. |
| Three young Irish doctors were also aboard, returning from two-week holiday in Brazil. Aisling Butler's father John paid tribute to his 26-year-old daughter, from Roscrea, County Tipperary. | Three young Irish doctors were also aboard, returning from two-week holiday in Brazil. Aisling Butler's father John paid tribute to his 26-year-old daughter, from Roscrea, County Tipperary. |
| "She was a truly wonderful, exciting girl," he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. | "She was a truly wonderful, exciting girl," he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. |
| "She never flunked an exam in her life - nailed every one of them - and took it all in her stride." | "She never flunked an exam in her life - nailed every one of them - and took it all in her stride." |
| FLIGHT AF 447 1. 2200 GMT, 31 May: AF 447 leaves Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, bound for Paris2. 0133 GMT, 1 June: Last radio contact with AF 4473. 0148 GMT: Plane leaves radar surveillance zone off islands of Fernando de Noronha and enters band of stormy weather4. 0214 GMT: Series of automated messages sent from AF 447 indicating electrical fault5. 0220 GMT: AF 477 due to arrive in Senegal airspace but no contact received | FLIGHT AF 447 1. 2200 GMT, 31 May: AF 447 leaves Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, bound for Paris2. 0133 GMT, 1 June: Last radio contact with AF 4473. 0148 GMT: Plane leaves radar surveillance zone off islands of Fernando de Noronha and enters band of stormy weather4. 0214 GMT: Series of automated messages sent from AF 447 indicating electrical fault5. 0220 GMT: AF 477 due to arrive in Senegal airspace but no contact received |
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