EgyptAir confirms passenger jet off radar en route to Cairo from Paris

The EgyptAir confirmed on Thursday that one of its flights en route from Paris to Cairo disappeared from radar earlier in the day, Egyptian official news agency MENA reported.

The plane, an Airbus 320, was carrying 66 passengers, including one child and two new-born babies, three security staff and seven crew numbers, the Egyptian airline said via its Twitter account.

The EgyptAir flight MS804, which was flying at an altitude of 37,000 feet (11,280 meters), was 10 miles (16 km) inside Egyptian airspace when losing contact with the radar at 2:45 a.m. Cairo time (0045 GMT), said MENA, citing an official source in the company.

The company also stated that the aircraft commander's flying hours are 6,275 including 2,101 hours on the same model and the Copilot's is 2,766 hours.

Manufactured in 2003, the plane was scheduled to leave Paris at 11:09 pm local time (2109 GMT) on Wednesday night for a three hour and 45 minute journey.

The EgyptAir added that the concerned authorities and inspection team, including Egyptian and Greek military jets, are underway and the company is following the situation through the integrated operations center.

Source: XINHUA