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| Air Controllers Lose Contact With Air-Algérie Plane Bound for Algiers | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| PARIS — A Spanish private airline company confirmed on Thursday that it had lost contact with one of its planes, operated by Air Algérie, while the jet was en route from the West African nation of Burkina Faso to Algiers. | PARIS — A Spanish private airline company confirmed on Thursday that it had lost contact with one of its planes, operated by Air Algérie, while the jet was en route from the West African nation of Burkina Faso to Algiers. |
| The aircraft, a Boeing MD-83, was carrying 110 passengers and a crew of six, the company, Swiftair, said in a statement issued from its offices in Madrid. | The aircraft, a Boeing MD-83, was carrying 110 passengers and a crew of six, the company, Swiftair, said in a statement issued from its offices in Madrid. |
| The official Algerian news agency reported that air traffic controllers lost contact with Flight AH5017 around 50 minutes after it took off from Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, shortly after 1 a.m., although the news was not reported until several hours later. | The official Algerian news agency reported that air traffic controllers lost contact with Flight AH5017 around 50 minutes after it took off from Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, shortly after 1 a.m., although the news was not reported until several hours later. |
| “In keeping with procedures, Air Algérie has launched its emergency plan,” the news agency quoted the Algerian carrier as saying. | “In keeping with procedures, Air Algérie has launched its emergency plan,” the news agency quoted the Algerian carrier as saying. |
| The route between Ouagadougou and Algiers passes over large swaths of desert in countries including Mali, which has faced an insurgency by Islamist militants in the north. But those militants are not known to possess heavy weapons that could strike an aircraft at cruising altitude. | The route between Ouagadougou and Algiers passes over large swaths of desert in countries including Mali, which has faced an insurgency by Islamist militants in the north. But those militants are not known to possess heavy weapons that could strike an aircraft at cruising altitude. |
| Weather reports from the area indicated that the zone through which Flight 5017 would normally have flown was being buffeted by thunderstorms and gusty winds. | Weather reports from the area indicated that the zone through which Flight 5017 would normally have flown was being buffeted by thunderstorms and gusty winds. |
| According to Ascend, an aviation consultancy in London, Swiftair owns a fleet of five MD-83 jets, of which two were leased to Air Algérie last month. One of those planes was built by McDonnell Douglas in 1996, while the second was built in 1989. | According to Ascend, an aviation consultancy in London, Swiftair owns a fleet of five MD-83 jets, of which two were leased to Air Algérie last month. One of those planes was built by McDonnell Douglas in 1996, while the second was built in 1989. |
| Boeing ceased production of the MD-80 series of jets 15 years ago, shortly after the American plane maker merged with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. | Boeing ceased production of the MD-80 series of jets 15 years ago, shortly after the American plane maker merged with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. |