What we know:
- The Airbus A320 was carrying 56 passengers, 10 crew
- Greek calls to jet went unanswered before handover
- Athens said the plane swerved mid-air before plunging and vanishing
- Too early to rule out any cause, including terrorism - Egypt
- 30 Egyptians, 15 French, 10 other nationalities aboard
Evidence has emerged of smoke detected in the final minutes before EgyptAir MS 804 crashed in the Mediterranean Sea on its way from Paris to Cairo.
French investigators have confirmed smoke was detected in multiple places on EgyptAir flight 804 moments before it plummeted into the Mediterranean.
But the cause of the crash that killed all 66 on board remains unclear.
The plane's automatic detection system sent messages indicating smoke a few minutes before the plane disappeared from radar while flying over the east Mediterranean early Thursday morning.
The Aviation Herald published data of the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) late Friday evening from the flight which carried 66 people, 56 passengers and 10 crew members. There has been solid link made between the smoke detected the plane crash. It indicated smoke in the lavatory and the avionics system
Egypt’s armed forces spokesperson had announced yesterday the plane’s debris has been found 290 kilometres north of Alexandria in the Mediterranean Sea. The Civil Aviation ministry later confirmed that Egypt has been able to retrieve passengers’ belongings, human remains and plane seats strewn across the 65 kilometre search zone.
Co-pilot Mohamed Mamdouh Assem, 25, who had logged 2766 hours of flight, time was looking forward to coming home.
"I spoke to him last on Tuesday and he sounded great,” Yasser Abdel Ghaffar, the co-pilot's uncle told SBS News. “He is like a son to me".
He also said that there's scant information from authorities and Egypt Air at this point
"We are following it just like everyone else is through the media but it's all rumours."
The latest crash adds to EgyptAir’s woes. In March, Seif ElDin Mustafa, an Egyptian national with a history of family violence, boarded MS 181 with a fake suicide belt holding it hostage and forcing it to head towards Cyprus in an effort to see his ex-wife. He is still there in Cypriot custody after seeking asylum in the country.
The track displayed on Flightradar24 showing the EgyptAir aircraft travelling from Paris to Cairo. Source: AAP
Last year, 224 Russian passengers were killed in a Metrojet flight after taking off from Sharm El Sheikh. Islamic State (IS) had taken responsibility for the attack and Egyptian authorities have been on high alert with the group solidifying its insurgent base in the Sinai.
The tourism industry has suffered tremendously with a 47.2 per cent drop over the past year however most Egyptians are focussed on the national tragedy of losing 30 Egyptians. Social media users have been promoting a campaign to support Egypt Air by flying with the national carrier.
For Abdel Ghaffar, Assem’s death adds to the family's woes. He told SBS News that Assem's mother, his sister, had recently passed away cementing family woes. The family had been visiting his sister's grave to commemorate Assem's death when SBS talked with him. A funeral prayer is planned later today in Cairo.
"I used to talk with him constantly. He's a good young man and always wanted to be a pilot. It was his dream," he added.
International Search undertaken
Earlier on Friday search teams scoured the Mediterranean Sea on Friday, hunting for wreckage of an EgyptAir jet carrying 66 people that disappeared in a crash that Egypt said may have been caused by a terrorist attack.
No group had claimed responsibility more than 24 hours after the disappearance of flight MS804, an Airbus A320 that was flying from Paris to Cairo.
Three French investigators and a technical expert from Airbus arrived in Cairo early on Friday to help investigate the fate of the missing plane, airport sources said.
Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said it was too early to rule out any explanation for the disaster, while the country's aviation minister said a terrorist attack was more likely than a technical failure.
There was confusion over the discovery of possible debris, with Egyptian officials initially saying Greek authorities had found "floating material" and life jackets likely to be from the plane.
Australian dual national on missing Egypt plane had just welcomed baby girl
Richard Osman, an Australian-British dual national, worked as a geologist in the Australian goldmines before returning to Europe a number of years ago.
His younger brother Alastair said the 40-year-old father of two, who hailed from Wales, was admired for his strength and values.
"Richard was a very kind person, loving person, very focused. He was a workaholic and never deviated from the straight path," Alastair Osman told ITV News.
He said his brother had texted him to tell him he was an uncle for a second time on April 27.
"He's a new dad. A dad for the second time now and I know that would have filled him with love and joy," he said.
"It's funny how quickly things change."
Australia is closely working with UK authorities who are providing consular assistance to Osman's family.
Richard Osman worked as a geologist in the Australian goldmines before returning to Europe a number of years ago. Source: BBC
"My thoughts are with the families and friends of those affected," Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said in a statement on Friday.
Additional reporting with AAP, Reuters, AP, DPA
