EgyptAir flight MS804 was carrying 66 passengers and crew from Paris to Cairo when it disappeared from radar over the Mediterranean south of Greece yesterday.
The airline's vice president Ahmed Adel retracted earlier claims the plane's wreckage had been found. It's still unclear how the plane crashed but terrorism is believed to be more likely than technical fault.
02:24am, May 19 - EgyptAir flight 804 from Paris to Cairo enters Greek airspace, air traffic controller handles it for the remainder of its course.
02:48am - The flight is transferred to the next air traffic control sector and is cleared for exit from Greek airspace. "The pilot was in good spirits and thanked the controller in Greek."
03:27am - Athens air traffic control tries to contact the aircraft to convey information on the switch of communications and control from Athens to Cairo air traffic. Despite repeated calls, the aircraft does not respond, whereupon the air traffic controller calls the distress frequency, without a response from the aircraft.
03:29am - It is above the exit point (from Greek airspace).
03:39:40am - The aircraft signal is lost, approximately 7 nautical miles south/southeast of the KUMBI point, within Cairo FIR. Immediately the assistance of radars of the Hellenic Air Force is requested to detect the target, without result.
03:45 - The processes of search and rescue are initiated, simultaneously informing the Flight Information Region of Cairo.
* Times are Greek local time
Newshub./Reuters
