Human remains, wreckage f-rom EgyptAir flight MS804 found off coast of Alexandria, Egyptian military reports

• Body parts, suitcases found by Egyptian army
• Crew named by EgyptAir
• Egyptian presidency confirms loss
• No names f-rom terror watch list on board
• Plane had previously visited Tunisia, Belgium and Eritrea

It comes as Egypt’s military recovers human remains, seats and suitcases f-rom a search area 290km north of Alexandria in the Mediterranean Sea.

“The Egyptian navy was able to retrieve more debris f-rom the plane, some of the passengers’ belongings, human remains, and plane seats. The search is ongoing,” Egypt’s civil aviation ministry said on Friday.

Egyptian media reported aviation minister Sherif Fathi told families the military was doing all it could to locate the rest of the missing plane which mysteriously vanished en route f-rom Paris to Cairo.

There are no clues yet as to what happened on board and no one has claimed responsibility for the downing of the plane.

EgyptAir has named the pilot as Mohamed Said Aly Aly Shakeer and the co-pilot asMohamed Mamdouh Assem as heartbreaking details about passengers and crew begin to emerge.

The flight attendants were named as Mervat Zaki Zakri Mohamed, Atef Lutfy Abdel Lateef Amin, Samir Ezzedin Safwat Youssef, Haitham Mostafa Azz al Hameed Al Azzizi and Yara Hani Farag Tawfiq.

The three-man security detail included Mohamed Ahmed Abd al Razak Abd al Kareem, Ahmed Mohamed Magdy Ahmad and Mohamed Abdel Monim Al Ghoneimy al Kyal.

Security officials have confirmed no names f-rom terror watch lists were on the manifest. The pilots had passed routine background checks and were said to have “no known political affiliations” an Egyptian minister said.A relative of missing family including Salah Abu Laban, his wife Sahar Qouidar, their son Ghassan Abu Laban and daughter-in-law Reem al-Sebaei said the news was difficult to take.

Abdel-Rahman al-Nasry told The Associated Press “this is very hard for the family.” Friend Magdi Badr said: “We pray for the victims.”

EgyptAir flight attendant Samar Ezz Eldin is thought to be one of the crew members on board.Source:Supplied

Flight co-pilot Mohamed Mamdouh Assem’s Facebook page has been changed to a memorial.Source:News Corp Australia

On Friday the European Space Agency said one of its satellites spotted a possible oil slick around the same place the plane disappeared. Images of the two kilometre spill have been passed on to search and rescue operations.

Earlier, Egyptian army spokesman Brig. General Mohammed Samir confirmed the findings on Facebook.

“The Egyptian aircraft and ships also found [Friday] morning personal items of some passengers of the plane,” he said.

Egyptian President Adbel Fattah al-Sisi has expressed “deep sadness and extreme regret” over the crash which is tantamount to acknowledging the deaths of the 66 passengers and crew on board.

It follows French President Francois Hollande’s comments yesterday over the “loss” of the plane.

It also emerged the plane had previously travelled to Eritrea, Tunisia and Belgium before making the trip f-rom Paris to Cairo on which it mysteriously vanished.

EgyptAir confirmed news of the recovery in a statement saying the airline had just received official word f-rom the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs wreckage had been found near Karpathos Island.

“EgyptAir sincerely conveys its deepest sorrow to the families and friends of the passengers on-board Flight MS804,” the company said.

“Family members of passengers and crew have been already informed and we extend our deepest sympathies to those affected. Meanwhile, the Egyptian Investigation Team in co-operation with the Greek counterpart are still searching for other remains of the missing plane.”

The finding comes after reports f-rom Greek authorities on Thursday who found debris off the coast of Crete that was later proved not to be f-rom the missing plane.

Footage of the search just off the coast of Egypt. Picture: AP Photo/Egyptian Defense Ministry.Source:AP

Greek authorities say body parts have been found. Picture: AP Photo/Egyptian Defense Ministry.Source:AP

A relative of a passenger on the EgyptAir flight waits for news in Cairo. Picture: AP/Ahmed Abd el Fattah.Source:AP

 

 

 

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EGYPT: Egyptian Navy and Air Force Conduct Search Operations for Flight MS804 May 19

MYSTERY REMAINS

A large scale search for the two black boxes involving military and commercial ships and planes is still underway.

Three French aviation accident investigators and an Airbus technical expert arrived in Cairo on Friday to join an Egypt-led investigation into the disappearance.

The reason for the plane vanishing is unknown although experts have speculated terrorism is a likely cause.

US officials said satellite images have not yet produced any signs of an explosion and mechanical failure or a deliberate act by the pilot or crew are still seen as potential causes.

Yesterday, Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos said the Airbus swerved 90 degrees before spinning 360 degrees and plunged f-rom 37,000 feet to 15,000 before vanishing f-rom Greek radar screens.

Greece’s civil aviation boss said calls f-rom air traffic control to the cockpit went unanswered.

The plane was travelling on a three and a half-hour flight f-rom Paris to Cairo with 66 people on board, including one triple Australian-British-Egyptian citizen, Ric-hard Osman.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Australia was closely working with UK authorities who are providing consular assistance to Osman’s family.

Friends and family members of those on board have gathered at airports in Cairo and Paris to wait for news of their loved ones.

The disaster has been described as a crippling blow to an already struggling economy for Egypt, which is heavily reliant on tourism.

It follows the bombing of a Russian commercial flight over the Sinai Peninsula that killed all 224 people on board in November last year.

— With AP

An engineer inspects a C-130 HAUL of the Hellenic air force, which took part and now is on stand by, in the searching operation of the missing Egypt plane, at the military air base of Kastelli on the southern Greek island of Crete. Picture: Photo/Thanassis StavrakisSource:AP

A Greek plane taking part in the search which is concentrating on an area south of Crete. Picture: AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis.Source:AP