Air France plane lost over Atlantic, Air crash confirmed

An Air France plane carrying 228 people from Brazil to France has vanished over the Atlantic after a possible lightning strike, airline officials say. The Airbus sent an automatic message at 0214 GMT, four hours after leaving Rio de Janeiro, reporting a short circuit as it flew through strong turbulence. It was well over the ocean when it was lost, making Brazilian and French search planes' task more difficult. Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris has set up a crisis centre.

"The plane might have been struck by lightning - it's a possibility," Francois Brousse, head of communications at Air France, told reporters in Paris. France's minister responsible for transportation, Jean-Louis Borloo, ruled out hijacking as a cause of the plane's loss. Flight AF 447 left Rio at 1900 local time (2200 GMT) on Sunday. It had 216 passengers and 12 crew on board, including three pilots. The passengers included one infant, seven children, 82 women and 126 men.
Latest Update:
8:30 PM - Air crash confirmed, 228 Dead
6:00 PM - Plane may have been destroyed: Air France