Flight AF 477 Missing

[Ed]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8077304.stm

Details are emerging of the events leading up to the disappearance of an Air France flight from Brazil to France in the early hours of Monday.

Flight AF 447 left Rio de Janeiro, bound for Paris, at 1900 local time (2200 GMT) on Sunday 31 May.

The aircraft in question, an Airbus A330-200 with registration F-GZCP, had been in operation since April 2005.

Shortly after the aircraft's scheduled arrival time in Paris of 1110 local time (0910 GMT), it was announced that the flight was missing.

Here is what is known so far:

2200 GMT, Sunday 31 May: AF 447 takes off from Rio de Janeiro's Galeao International Airport, heading for Paris Charles de Gaulle.

0133 GMT, Monday 1 June: Last radar contact with flight AF 447, according to the Brazilian air force. The jet had just passed the Fernando de Noronha islands, about 350 km (217 miles) off the coast of Brazil.
Graphic of Airbus A330

0200 GMT: The aircraft crossed through a "thunderous zone with strong turbulence" according to an Air France statement.

0214 GMT: According to the airline, an automated message was received indicating an "electrical circuit malfunction" on board.

0715 GMT: Air France decided "the situation was serious", according to the airline's chief executive Pierre Henri Gourgeon. Plans to establish a crisis centre are drawn up.

0910 GMT: Aircraft was due to land at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.

0935 GMT: Paris airport officials announce to the public that flight AF 447 is missing.

1017 GMT: Brazil's air force confirms a search and rescue operation is under way near the Brazilian island of Fernando de Noronha.

1036 GMT: Air France confirms it is "without news" from the aircraft.

1116 GMT: Senior French minister Jean-Louis Borloo says the plane would have run out of fuel by this point, and adds: "We must now envisage the most tragic scenario." He rules out a hijacking.

1140 GMT: Brazil's air force says Flight AF 447 was "well advanced" over the Atlantic Ocean when it went missing.

1142 GMT: Air France confirms it received a message about an electrical fault from the aircraft.

1213 GMT: Air France suggests the electrical fault may have been caused by the plane suffering a lightning strike.

1303 GMT: Prime Minister Gordon Brown says he fears British citizens may be on board the aircraft.

[Sammich]

MAYBE IM SLOW...BUT WTF @ 13:03?

THIS IS TRAGIC THO

[The Ren]

Wow.. this is scary.

[EJ25RUN]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090601/...s_france_plane

[AnthonyF]

MAYBE IM SLOW...BUT WTF @ 13:03?

THIS IS TRAGIC THO

Army time.

How does it go missing? That's ridiculous.

-Ant.

[MongolPup]

Sammich: Military time.

EJ: Yeah. Chances are it has crashed. Hopefully people lived and hopefully they can find them in time. Against the odds though.

That's tragic. Just normal people like us.

[Sammich]

I'M NOT TALKING ABOTU THAT..I'M TALKING ABOUT THE STATEMENT MADE AT 13:03

"Prime Minister Gordon Brown says he fears British citizens may be on board the aircraft. "

IS THAT ALL HE CARES ABOUT?

[BKgen®]

I'M NOT TALKING ABOTU THAT..I'M TALKING ABOUT THE STATEMENT MADE AT 13:03

"Prime Minister Gordon Brown says he fears British citizens may be on board the aircraft. "

IS THAT ALL HE CARES ABOUT?

Durr... Brits don't give a fuck 'bout no wetbacks.





(no racise)

[DJ Maestro]

j00r thread title does not match the info given.

AF 477 is not missing, AF 447 is.

[MongolPup]

I'M NOT TALKING ABOTU THAT..I'M TALKING ABOUT THE STATEMENT MADE AT 13:03

"Prime Minister Gordon Brown says he fears British citizens may be on board the aircraft. "

IS THAT ALL HE CARES ABOUT?

Oh. He just wanted the public to be prepared for the possibility of that. Not necessarily callous.

[Sammich]

kind of seemed like...lack of compassion for whoever else was on that plane

[MongolPup]

CNN:

PARIS, France (CNN) -- An Air France plane feared to have crashed in the Atlantic with 228 people aboard reported electrical problems in stormy weather before it lost contact, the airline said Monday, describing the loss as a "catastrophe."

The Airbus A330-200 sent an automatic message signaling an electric circuit failure as it hit turbulence early in its 11-hour flight from Rio de Janeiro to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, Air France CEO Pierre-Henri Gourgeon told a news conference.

The last known contact with the plane was at 1:33 GMT Monday (8:33 p.m. Sunday ET), according to the Brazilian Air Force.

Brazil says it has launched two air force squadrons to hunt near the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha in the Atlantic Ocean, 365 kilometers (226 miles) from its coast, although the plane vanished outside the country's radar coverage.

A statement from the Brazilian Air Force said the jet was last logged flying at an altitude of 35,000 feet before contact was lost. When the plane failed to make further contact, Brazilian air controllers contacted their counterparts in Senegal.

France's ambassador to Senegal told CNN affiliate BFMTV that French military aircraft had been dispatched to search the west African country's coast.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed his "very deep concern" and asked the government "to implement every effort to find the plane," according to a statement from his office.

Agence France-Presse quoted France's Environment Minister Jean Louis Borloo saying that it was extremely unlikely the plane had been hijacked.

Flight AF 447, took off at 2230 GMT Sunday (6 p.m. ET). It was carrying 126 men, 82 women, seven children and a baby, in addition to the crew, Air France said.

"I can say without doubt that this is a catastrophe," Gourgeon said, adding "the entire Air France company and its staff are very moved and affected by this."

There has been speculation it was struck by lightning, but that should not bring down a modern airliner, former Airbus pilot John Wiley told CNN.

Somber members of the families could be seen entering a special terminal set aside for them at Charles de Gaulle airport.

A crisis center was being set up at at the airport to deal with anxious relatives and friends waiting for news of passengers. Air France has also set up a hotline: 0800 800 812 in France, or +33 157021055 for international callers.

Airbus has opened a crisis room and their flight safety team is in place, a company spokesperson told CNN. Airbus is working closely with authorities and Air France, he said, declining to comment further.

Gourgeon said the aircraft involved was a new Airbus piloted by a "particularly experienced crew."

Analyst Kieran Daly of online aviation news service Air Transport Intelligence told CNN that the lack of communication with the aircraft "does suggest it was something serious and catastrophic."

He said the aircraft involved is believed to be one delivered to Air France in April 2005.

"It is an extremely young fleet by aviation standards," he said. "The A330 is state-of-the-art with extremely reliable engines made by General Electric."

CNN air travel expert Richard Quest says the twin-engined plane, a stalwart of trans-Atlantic routes, has an impeccable safety record.

"It has very good range, and is extremely popular with airlines because of its versatility," he said.

Time line
2230 GMT Sunday Flight AF447 takes off from Rio's Airport do Galeao
0133 GMT Monday Plane makes last contact with Brazilian air traffic control
0148 GMT Plane disappears from radar
0220 GMT Plane fails to make scheduled radio contact
0530 GMT Brazilian Air Force launches search
0910 GMT Plane fails to make scheduled landing in Paris
Source: Brazilian Air Force

[Ed]

sorry for the type-o joe.

[DJ Maestro]

sorry for the type-o joe.

[FasTech]

Wow.... I will pray for these people. I'll keep up with this but if you find out anymore info... keep us updated with this thread or something.

[EJ25RUN]

CNN headline news is still calling the plane missing but it has to be below radar which probably means its down.

[MongolPup]

In the first line of the CNN article the plane is referred to as a "loss" by Air France.

[DJ Maestro]

There are still several scenarios that could have occured here, but the most probable is a catastrophic failure of some component leading to a sudden loss of control and leading to an uncontrolled ditching. i.e. - crash.

[The Ren]

This is a great story for me to read right before my 11 hour flight

[Ed]

This is a great story for me to read right before my 11 hour flight

you're safer in an airplane than in a car. you'll be fine.

[oneSLOWex]

This is a great story for me to read right before my 11 hour flight

this kind of stuff never happens....you will be fine

[Sammich]

FYI ED...I HATE U LOL

[MongolPup]

FYI ED...I HATE U LOL

WHY DONT YOU STFU AND FUK UP SOMEONES ACCOUNTS, BITCH

I dare you to say something cute like that to me.

[The Ren]

If I die my supra goes to my boyfriend

[Sammich]

I dare you to say something cute like that to me.

I NEED SOME PERSONAL INFO...ILL SAY IT..THEN SUGAR COAT IT W/ 101 REPALMATIONS

[Sammich]

If I die my supra goes to my boyfriend...

SO UM...WAT ABOUT A GOOD MALE FRIEND, SUCH AS MYSELF?

[BKgen®]

If I die my supra goes to GKtib®...

thanks sweetie

[The Ninja]

I'M NOT TALKING ABOTU THAT..I'M TALKING ABOUT THE STATEMENT MADE AT 13:03

"Prime Minister Gordon Brown says he fears British citizens may be on board the aircraft. "

IS THAT ALL HE CARES ABOUT?

Lmao. All the American's care about is if there were Americans on board. But only because American lives are worth 1.76 british lives, 200 chinese lives, 7520 lives of those who are muslim. Duh!

Meant to say, "All the American's -would- care about...", just thought I'd add it in there in case some dumb fuck assumed what I was talking about was irrelevant.

[BKgen®]

Lmao. All the American's care about is if there were Americans on board. But only because American lives are worth 1.76 british lives, 200 chinese lives, 7520 lives of those who are muslim. Duh!

QFT!

[Hulud]

anyone think this story is as explosive as TWA Flight 800?

[BKgen®]

anyone think this story is as explosive as TWA Flight 800?

is that a pun?

[The Ren]

Tib quit editing my shit ass!

[Sammich]

is that a pun?

[Hulud]

i dunno but i do know flight 800 must have been a blast to fly on

[EJ25RUN]

you're safer in an airplane than in a car. you'll be fine.

yup.

[Maverick]

the plane probably crashed on an island where two guys are fucking with time and the lives of some of the people from the flight because one of the guys hates the other and needs to find a loophole in order to kill the other guy.

[ShooterMcGavin]

shit happens but with as many flights as there are vs crashes, i'm still willing to take my chances.

[ShooterMcGavin]

the plane probably crashed on an island where two guys are fucking with time and the lives of some of the people from the flight because one of the guys hates the other and needs to find a loophole in order to kill the other guy.

they should be so lucky lulz

[ShooterMcGavin]

Tib quit editing my shit ass!

that REALLY doesn't sound right....at all.....

[Brett]

The wreckage has been found