Search icon

News

19th May 2016

Egyptian Aviation minister has said a terror attack was more likely than a technical failure

This is the latest update on the incident.

Ellen Tannam

The Egyptian Minister for Aviation has conceded that the disappearance of the EgyptAir flight from Paris to Cairo this morning was more likely due to terrorism than a technical failure within the plane itself.

Speaking at a press conference, Sherif Fathy stated:

“If you analyse the situation properly the possibility of having a terror attack is higher than the possibility of having a technical [problem].”

There is currently an ongoing investigation underway 230 miles south of Crete, where two large plastic objects have been seen floating in the sea.

Search efforts are currently focused near the island of Karpathos.

The plane made ‘sudden swerves’ before disappearing completely from the radar, according to the Greek Defence Minister.

The aircraft was carrying 56 passengers, including one child and two infants, and ten crew.

They included 30 Egyptian and 15 French nationals, along with nationals from ten other countries.