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Brazil says debris from crash jet Ocean search finds plane debris
(about 1 hour later)
Debris spotted by planes in waters 650km (400 miles) off Brazil's coast belongs to a missing French airliner, the Brazilian government has confirmed.Debris spotted by planes in waters 650km (400 miles) off Brazil's coast belongs to a missing French airliner, the Brazilian government has confirmed.
Defence Minister Nelson Jobim said he had no doubt the debris was from the Air France jet carrying 228 people. A Brazilian search plane saw a band of wreckage along a 5km (3m) strip, said Defence Minister Nelson Jobim.
A Brazilian search plane saw a band of wreckage along a 5km (3m) strip, Mr Jobim told reporters in Rio de Janeiro. There was no report of survivors. A Brazilian navy ship is expected to arrive in the area shortly to begin the task of recovering wreckage.
Flight AF 447 was heading from Rio to Paris when it was lost early on Monday. Flight AF 447 was heading from Rio to Paris with 228 people on board when it was lost early on Monday.
See a map of the plane's route France is to hold religious ceremonies to remember the missing, while three days of national mourning have been declared in Brazil. See a map of the plane's route
The discovery of the debris confirmed "that the plane went down" in the area, Mr Jobim said. Late on Tuesday, Mr Jobim told reporters in Rio de Janeiro he had no doubt the debris was from the Air France jet.
He gave few details of the wreckage, saying only that it included metallic and non-metallic pieces.He gave few details of the wreckage, saying only that it included metallic and non-metallic pieces.
Earlier, Brazil's air force said it had spotted an airplane seat, an orange buoy and signs of fuel.Earlier, Brazil's air force said it had spotted an airplane seat, an orange buoy and signs of fuel.
'No hope'
Mr Jobim's words will come as grim confirmation of the worst for the families waiting for news both in Paris and Rio, the BBC's Gary Duffy reports from Brazil.Mr Jobim's words will come as grim confirmation of the worst for the families waiting for news both in Paris and Rio, the BBC's Gary Duffy reports from Brazil.
Jean-Louis Borloo, the French minister for transport, said the chance of finding anyone alive was now "very, very small - even nonexistent".
If it is confirmed that all 228 people on Flight AF 447 are dead, it will be the worst loss of life in Air France's history.
Ships on hand
Naval boats are due to arrive in the crash zone on Wednesday, while three merchant vessels are already in the area, the Brazilian defence minister said.
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 Mystery of Air France flight What's being said on the webTIMELINE 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 Mystery of Air France flight What's being said on the web
If any bodies are found, they will be transported by ship to the nearest airport, on Brazil's archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, he was quoted as saying by AFP news agency. Jean-Louis Borloo, the French minister for transport, said chances of finding anyone alive were now "very, very small - even nonexistent".
The defence minister warned that the recovery of the plane's cockpit voice and data recorders could be difficult because of the depth of the ocean. If it is confirmed that all 228 people on Flight AF 447 are dead, it will be the worst loss of life in Air France's history.
"The last bit of hope that we had no longer exists," said Aldair Gomes, whose son was a passenger on the plane.
"Before, a lot of us were hoping that the plane could have landed on an island or something like that, but no more."
The first Brazilian navy boat is due to arrive in the zone where the debris was found on Wednesday morning.
It is hoped that the ship will be able to recover wreckage which will give some clue as to why the plane fell from the sky.
Three merchant vessels are already in the area after being diverted to help with the operation.
Search teams are hoping to locate the plane's cockpit voice and data recorders, which will give the clearest information about what happened.
But Mr Jobim warned that recovering the devices could be difficult because of the depth of the ocean.
"It could be at a depth of 2,000m or 3,000m [6,500ft-9,800ft] in that area of the ocean," he said."It could be at a depth of 2,000m or 3,000m [6,500ft-9,800ft] in that area of the ocean," he said.
He made the announcement after visiting relatives of those aboard the flight, who were being looked after in a Rio hotel by teams including psychological and medical personnel. The US has despatched specialist radar equipment to the area to hunt for the recorder, and France is also sending a research ship equipped with two mini-submarines to the disaster area.
France is also sending a research ship equipped with two mini-submarines to the disaster area.
Prime Minister Francois Fillon said the search teams over the Atlantic were "in a race against the clock in extremely difficult weather conditions".
Distress call mystery
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.
Our only certainty is that the plane did not send out any distress call Francois FillonFrench prime minister Grief and fear in Brazil In pictures: Search continues Did storm down missing plane?Our only certainty is that the plane did not send out any distress call Francois FillonFrench prime minister Grief and fear in Brazil In pictures: Search continues Did storm down missing plane?
On Tuesday, the French National Assembly held a minute's silence for those on board the plane, and thanked countries involved in the search. French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said the teams were "in a race against the clock in extremely difficult weather conditions".
French President Nicolas Sarkozy will attend a religious service for the families and friends of the missing passengers and crew at Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, on Wednesday. He told parliament that the cause of the plane's loss had still to be established.
Prime Minister Fillon told the French parliament that the cause of the plane's loss had still to be established.
"Our only certainty is that the plane did not send out any distress call but regular automatic alerts for three minutes indicating the failure of all systems," he said."Our only certainty is that the plane did not send out any distress call but regular automatic alerts for three minutes indicating the failure of all systems," he said.
Experts remain puzzled that there were no radio reports from the Airbus and they say that such a modern aircraft would have had to suffer multiple traumas to plunge into the sea, the BBC's Adam Mynott reports from Paris.Experts remain puzzled that there were no radio reports from the Airbus and they say that such a modern aircraft would have had to suffer multiple traumas to plunge into the sea, the BBC's Adam Mynott reports from Paris.
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.
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