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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
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| Air France jet 'broke on impact' | Air France jet 'broke on impact' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| French investigators trying to find out why an Air France plane crashed in the Atlantic say they believe it broke up on contact with water, not in the air. | French investigators trying to find out why an Air France plane crashed in the Atlantic say they believe it broke up on contact with water, not in the air. |
| They also found that the plane's speed sensors had been "a factor but not the cause" of the crash. | They also found that the plane's speed sensors had been "a factor but not the cause" of the crash. |
| All 228 people on the plane were killed when it plunged into the ocean en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris on 1 June. | All 228 people on the plane were killed when it plunged into the ocean en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris on 1 June. |
| Teams looking for the plane's flight data recorders will continue operations for another 10 days. | Teams looking for the plane's flight data recorders will continue operations for another 10 days. |
| Alain Bouillard, of France's BEA accident investigation agency, said the crash had been an extremely difficult one to understand. | Alain Bouillard, of France's BEA accident investigation agency, said the crash had been an extremely difficult one to understand. |
| "Between the surface of the water and 35,000ft [10,700m], we don't know what happened," Mr Bouillard said. "In the absence of the flight recorders, it is extremely difficult to draw conclusions." | "Between the surface of the water and 35,000ft [10,700m], we don't know what happened," Mr Bouillard said. "In the absence of the flight recorders, it is extremely difficult to draw conclusions." |
| See a map of the plane's route | See a map of the plane's route |
| But he said an examination of the recovered wreckage led them to believe the plane probably hit the water "in the direction of flight and with a strong vertical acceleration". | But he said an examination of the recovered wreckage led them to believe the plane probably hit the water "in the direction of flight and with a strong vertical acceleration". |
| BBC transport correspondent Tom Symonds said if the plane had broken up in the air, pieces of the fuselage would have been found twisted in a variety of directions. | BBC transport correspondent Tom Symonds said if the plane had broken up in the air, pieces of the fuselage would have been found twisted in a variety of directions. |
| Instead they showed signs of compression in one direction, resulting from the plane hitting the water on its belly. | Instead they showed signs of compression in one direction, resulting from the plane hitting the water on its belly. |
| Life jackets found in the wreckage had not been inflated, indicating that the passengers had little warning of a water landing. | Life jackets found in the wreckage had not been inflated, indicating that the passengers had little warning of a water landing. |
| Many factors | Many factors |
| There has been speculation that the old-style speed sensors may have given the plane's pilots faulty information. | There has been speculation that the old-style speed sensors may have given the plane's pilots faulty information. |
| Timeline of Flight AF 447 Mystery of Air France flight Challenge of deep-sea debris class="" href="/2/hi/americas/8131689.stm">Combing clues of crash jet | |
| But Mr Bouillard said they had been "a factor but not the cause" of the crash. | But Mr Bouillard said they had been "a factor but not the cause" of the crash. |
| In the wake of the crash, Air France accelerated an existing programme to replace speed monitors on its Airbus planes. | In the wake of the crash, Air France accelerated an existing programme to replace speed monitors on its Airbus planes. |
| Mr Bouillard told reporters that investigators found "neither traces of fire nor traces of explosives." | Mr Bouillard told reporters that investigators found "neither traces of fire nor traces of explosives." |
| He said there was also concern about the length of the delay - six hours - between the crew failing to contact air traffic controllers in Dakar, western Africa, as planned and the alarm being raised. | He said there was also concern about the length of the delay - six hours - between the crew failing to contact air traffic controllers in Dakar, western Africa, as planned and the alarm being raised. |
| He said his team was "a long way from establishing the causes of the accident" but that the search for the Airbus A330's data recorders would be extended to 10 July. | He said his team was "a long way from establishing the causes of the accident" but that the search for the Airbus A330's data recorders would be extended to 10 July. |
| The French investigation appears to contradict earlier reports attributed to Brazilian pathologists. | The French investigation appears to contradict earlier reports attributed to Brazilian pathologists. |
| They said last month that the injuries sustained by the passengers whose bodies had been found suggested the plane had been in pieces before it hit the sea. | They said last month that the injuries sustained by the passengers whose bodies had been found suggested the plane had been in pieces before it hit the sea. |
| Mr Bouillard said France had not yet been given access to those autopsy reports. | Mr Bouillard said France had not yet been given access to those autopsy reports. |
| Search teams have recovered 51 bodies from the ocean but said last month that finding any more remains was "impossible". | Search teams have recovered 51 bodies from the ocean but said last month that finding any more remains was "impossible". |
| Click here to return | Click here to return |