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| Air Algerie 'loses contact with plane' flying from Burkina Faso | Air Algerie 'loses contact with plane' flying from Burkina Faso |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Air Algerie has lost contact with an aircraft travelling from Burkina Faso in west Africa with a total of 116 people on board. | Air Algerie has lost contact with an aircraft travelling from Burkina Faso in west Africa with a total of 116 people on board. |
| Aviation authorities said flight AH5017 vanished from radar about 50 minutes after take-off from Ouagadougou. Two French fighter jets based in Africa have now been deployed in an attempt to locate the missing plane, the French army spokesperson Gilles Jaron has confirmed. | |
| The last contact Algerian authorities had with the aircraft was at 01.55am GMT when it was flying over Gao, Mali, an Algerian official said. A diplomat in the Malian capital Bamako said that the north of the country was struck by a powerful sandstorm overnight. | The last contact Algerian authorities had with the aircraft was at 01.55am GMT when it was flying over Gao, Mali, an Algerian official said. A diplomat in the Malian capital Bamako said that the north of the country was struck by a powerful sandstorm overnight. |
| The Burkina Faso Transport Minister Jean Bertin Ouedrago said the flight asked to change route at 01.38am because of a storm in the area. | The Burkina Faso Transport Minister Jean Bertin Ouedrago said the flight asked to change route at 01.38am because of a storm in the area. |
| In a statement, Air Algerie said: "In keeping with procedures, Air Algerie has launched its emergency plan." It gave no further details. | In a statement, Air Algerie said: "In keeping with procedures, Air Algerie has launched its emergency plan." It gave no further details. |
| Meanwhile, the BBC is reporting that UN troops in Mali believe the plane has come down between Gao and Tessalit. | Meanwhile, the BBC is reporting that UN troops in Mali believe the plane has come down between Gao and Tessalit. |
| The plane is operated by Air Algerie and chartered from Spanish airline Swiftair, who said 110 passengers and six members of crew are on board the MD83 aircraft. The French Transport minister Frederic Cuvillier told reporters there are "likely many" French nationals among them, while Mr Ouedrago said there are 50 French passengers on board. | The plane is operated by Air Algerie and chartered from Spanish airline Swiftair, who said 110 passengers and six members of crew are on board the MD83 aircraft. The French Transport minister Frederic Cuvillier told reporters there are "likely many" French nationals among them, while Mr Ouedrago said there are 50 French passengers on board. |
| The company said in a statement posted on its website that the passenger jet took off from Burkina Faso at 01.17am and was supposed to land in Algiers at 05.10am but never reached its destination. | The company said in a statement posted on its website that the passenger jet took off from Burkina Faso at 01.17am and was supposed to land in Algiers at 05.10am but never reached its destination. |
| It said the six crew members include two pilots and four flight attendants. | It said the six crew members include two pilots and four flight attendants. |
| A satellite image showing bad weather conditions in the area overnight The AFP news agency have quoted an unnamed Air Algerie company source as saying that the plane was close to the Algerian frontier when it was asked to make a detour because of poor visibility and to prevent a possible collision with another plane on the Algiers-Bamako route. | A satellite image showing bad weather conditions in the area overnight The AFP news agency have quoted an unnamed Air Algerie company source as saying that the plane was close to the Algerian frontier when it was asked to make a detour because of poor visibility and to prevent a possible collision with another plane on the Algiers-Bamako route. |
| The source said contact was lost after this change of course. | The source said contact was lost after this change of course. |
| An Algerian official confirmed to Reuters the aircraft is an Airbus A320. Flight AH 5017 flies the Ouagadougou-Algiers route four times per week. | An Algerian official confirmed to Reuters the aircraft is an Airbus A320. Flight AH 5017 flies the Ouagadougou-Algiers route four times per week. |
| The plane's flight path was not immediately clear. Ouagadougou is in a nearly straight line south of Algiers, passing over Mali. | The plane's flight path was not immediately clear. Ouagadougou is in a nearly straight line south of Algiers, passing over Mali. |
| More follows... | More follows... |