EgyptAir Flight MS804 Disappears From Radar; Suspected To Be Crashed Into Sea

Posted by African Examiner Africa, Featured, Latest Headlines, World News Thursday, May 19th, 2016

BALTIMORE, MD (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – An EgyptAir flight from Paris to Cairo is believed to have crashed into the Mediterranean Sea after disappearing from radar overnight.
The Airbus A320 went missing at 02:30 Cairo time (00:30 GMT), soon after leaving Greek airspace.
There were 56 passengers – including three children – seven crew members and three security personnel on board flight MS804 EgyptAir said.

Airbus confirmed “the loss” of the 13-year-old plane.
A major search and rescue operation is under way involving the Greek and Egyptian armed forces. France has offered to send boats and planes to help in the effort.

There is no evidence yet to indicate a malicious attack, the spectre of terrorism inevitably looms over this latest aviation tragedy, says the BBC’s security correspondent Frank Gardner.

It was only seven months ago that a Russian passenger jet was brought down over the Sinai by the so-called Islamic State, which has vowed to target Egypt and the westerners who visit it, he notes.

EgyptAir source confirmed that there were 56 passengers on board of the flight MS804. Of the figure, there seven crew members and three security personnel. Breakdown of the nationalities of the passengers is: 30 Egyptians; 15 French citizens 2 Iraqis;1 each from Britain, Canada, Belgium, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Sudan, Chad and Portugal

BBC