LIVE UPDATES: EgyptAir flight from Paris to Cairo disappears over Mediterranean

Daily News Egypt
6 Min Read
Online ticket purchases for airlines in Egypt amounts to $1.9bn, out of $11bn in the Arab region. (AFP Photo)

EgyptAir flight MS804 flying from Paris to Cairo disappeared on Thursday morning over the Mediterranean Sea, with the last point of contact taking place 174 miles from the Egyptian coastline, according to EgyptAir.

07:00 – EgyptAir stated that the Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation has just received an official letter from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that confirms the finding of wreckage of the missing aircraft No. MS 804 near Karpathos Island.

05:00 – Egypt’s Civil Aviation Ministry says it contacted Greek authorities who denied finding aircraft debris near Crete.

03:41 –  Health ministry said it has rescued 10 cases of families of passengers on ‘missing’ aeroplane, one case was taken to the EgyptAir hospital for treatment. The injuries varied between nervous breakdown and high blood pressure.

03:30 – Egyptian Prosecutor-General orders investigations into airplane case.

03:15 – Greek TV reports say aeroplane wreckage spotted near Karpathos island, while other reports attributed to the Greek military claim wreckage location near Crete.

01:40 –  Egypt’s Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathy held a press conference. “We cannot conclude that the aircraft crashed until wreckage is found,” Fathy stated, adding that until further information is revealed, the only confirmed information at this point is that the aeroplane is missing. However, Fathy said all possibilities are being considered but even motives of terrorism cannot be confirmed at this point.

01:09 – The crash could have occurred due to technical failures which also prevented the aeroplane’s distress signal system, pilots waiting alongside families told Daily News Egypt on condition of anonymity.

12: 50 – Families of passengers waiting a hotel near Cairo International Airport have no confirmed information yet on plane crash and casualties. Worried families are crying and praying.

12:33 – The Egyptian presidency issued a statement about a meeting which took place earlier between President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and the National Security Council, with no mention of a “plane crash”.

12:30 – French President Francois Hollande confirms plane crash, announces opening investigations into it in coordination with Egypt and Greece, including investigating the possibility of an act of terror.

11:37 – French ambassador to Cairo arrives at the EgyptAir services centre at Cairo International Airport.

11:08 – Egypt’s Health Minister Ahmed Emad orders to raise maximum level of readiness at hospitals located in coastal cities.

10:50 – Egypt’s Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a statement saying French foreign minister Jean-Marc Aryault and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry exchanged “condolences” for victims of “crashed plane”.

10:30 – AFP quotes Greek aviation official source as saying that the aeroplane crashed into the sea near the Greek island of Karpathos.

10:10 – Airbus releases statement explaining that aircraft A320 operated by EgyptAir was lost at around 02.30am local time over the Mediterranean Sea. The aircraft was operating a scheduled service, Flight MS 804 from Paris, France to Cairo, Egypt.

10:15 – Prime Minister Sherif Ismail tells local TV that all options for the reasons of disappearance are on the table, does not rule out terrorism.

10:00- French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault announces France will assist in searching for aeroplane amid coordination with Egyptian authorities, states it disappeared over Egyptian waters.

10:00 – EgyptAir maintains that the reason for the disappearance of flight MS804 hasn’t been yet confirmed.

09:30 – Minister of Civil Aviation Sherif Fathy urges media to be accurate while source in ministry says aeroplane was lost for over five hours.

09:00 – President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi meets with National Security Council.

08:00 – Armed Forces send aerial and naval rescue, Greece also sends aeroplane, according to EgyptAir officials, also reporting that a distress signal was sent from aircraft at 4.26am.

EgyptAir says passengers’ families at Cairo airport assisted with doctors, translators, and all the necessary services.

07:30 – EgyptAir declares nationalities of passengers as following: 30 Egyptians, 15 French, 2 Iraqis, 1 British, 1 Belgium, 1 Kuwaiti, 1 Saudi, 1 Canadian, 1 Portuguese, 1 Algerian, 1 Chadian, 1 Sudanese.
EgyptAir flight MS804 flying from Paris to Cairo disappeared on Thursday morning over the Mediterranean Sea, with the last point of contact taking place 174 miles from the Egyptian coastline, according to EgyptAir.

The flight was carrying 66 people, including 56 passengers and 10 crew members.

The flight took off from Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport late on Wednesday night and was expected to arrive in Cairo early Thursday morning.

The aeroplane, an Airbus A320-232, was travelling just under 37,000 feet when it lost contact.

According to EgyptAir, the time contact was lost was 2.30am local time.

Greek aircraft controllers reported that the aeroplane did not lose altitude or call for help, it simply “vanished”.

Thirty Egyptians were on board, as well as 15 French, among a number of other nationalities.

 

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