An aviation source in Greece has told AFP that the EgyptAir flight which disappeared from radar screens en route from Paris to Cairo early Thursday, crashed into the sea off the southern Greek island of Karpathos while in Egyptian airspace.
There were 66 people on board.
Missing Egyptair aircraft found south of Greek island, Karpathos, says Greek state TV. Via @Reuters
— Quentin Sommerville (@sommervillebbc) May 19, 2016
The source was quoted by AFP to have said: “At around 0029 GMT (3:29 am) when it was in Egyptian airspace, the plane disappeared from Greek radars… it crashed around 130 nautical miles off the island of Karpathos.”
According to the official, the last communication with the pilot was three minutes before the plane disappeared, and that there had been no distress call.
CNN quoted Greek authorities as saying “when the plane reached Cairo airspace, it swerved sharply then plunged from 37,000 feet into the Mediterranean.”
The final moments of #EgyptAir Flight 804 are as perplexing as they are disturbing: https://t.co/MfeDJKmpDj pic.twitter.com/AY8BbsWFME
— CNN International (@cnni) May 19, 2016
The officials also confirmed that the Egyptian military has spotted two floating objects 210 nautical miles southwest of Crete — BUT they cannot be sure these objects are part of the missing aircraft.
Egyptian authorities have however denied speculations that the aircraft was having technical problems, adding that the cause behind the disappearance of EgyptAir 804 is more likely to be terrorism that a technical issue.
Egypt aviation minister denies rumours that plane had been suffering technical problems #MS804 pic.twitter.com/Ci0eLODoT5
— Quentin Sommerville (@sommervillebbc) May 19, 2016
