Air France plane lost over Atlantic Ocean

[GM]

An Air France plane carrying 228 people from Brazil to France has vanished over the Atlantic after flying into turbulence, airline officials say.

Full story here

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8076848.stm

 

[Robin]

The first thing that came into my head was 'Lost'

Im sure they will find them but in this day and age its very hard to 'loose' a plane.

 

[PeterJB]

I can imagine that if it has been lost over water then it may never be found, for all we know it could be at the bottom of the Atlantic by now.

 

[Keef]

If it is at the bottom, they'll get to it.

 

[Omnis]

Man all these planes are breaking down now. Time for some fresh materials.

 

[SaberFire]

Yeah, these days, it's pretty hard to "lose" a plane, with all the black box technology we have these days.

 

[Duke]

Ouch. My thoughts are with the victims and families.

 

[Northstar]

*Must not make fun of France*

Anyways in the event it is at the bottom of the ocean it won't be hard to track. They just have to go to where the last blip was and search around there.

 

[boiltheocean]

Yeah, these days, it's pretty hard to "lose" a plane, with all the black box technology we have these days.

That be on the lost plane though

But yeah, Victims and Families, it must be so bad not knowing anything at the moment.

 

[Robin]

Saw on the 10 o'clock news the families waiting at the airport earlier today hoping that the plane had just lost communication and tracking and would actually just land at the airport at the arrival time.

But then that time came and went and now it must be pretty bad just wondering whether anyone is still alive. Its kinda spooky as 2 other planes flew through that area at the same time and said there was no storm and they didnt have any difficulties.

My theories (other than a storm caused it to crash) are either it was a bomb (which would explain it just vanishing) or it has somehow been hijacked and flown under the radar to some obscure place.

Ive flown on A330's many times, most airlines use them and they have a good track record. I could understand if it was an ageing 747 or something.

 

[Nicksfix]

Tragic.

This just released an hour ago,all 228 feared dead and any hope is dimming.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31040692/

 

[Joel]

That's horrible. The worst part must be not knowing.

 

[dranddad]

Our thoughts are with those on board and their families.

Phillip.

 

[PeterJB]

*Must not make fun of France*

Anyways in the event it is at the bottom of the ocean it won't be hard to track. They just have to go to where the last blip was and search around there.

Through a layer of water five miles thick.

 

[Jay]

Sad news

That be on the lost plane though

Though the blackbox (which isn't black) does have a built in beacon that will last a couple weeks (from memory) still going to be hard to get to though.

Ive flown on A330's many times, most airlines use them and they have a good track record. I could understand if it was an ageing 747 or something.

Airbus's (flyby wire models including A330) have had a few uncommanded mishaps in the last few years, not long ago a Qantas A330 had a uncommanded drop in altitude and lost a few thousand feet before being regained injuring people.

 

[Hun200kmh]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31057560/

Plane seats found, according to the brasilian airforce.

 

[GaryyC]

Oh man...doesn't look good..
my thoughts and condolences go out to the familes

 

[Touring Mars]

Apparently the French secret service have discovered that two passengers on board this flight shared the names of known Islamic extremists. They are now investigating whether this is just a "macabre coincidence" or if these passengers were actually extremists, hence raising the possibility that this crash might have involved foul play... Article

 

[Moglet]

If that turns out to be true and it was a terrorist attack that bought it down, it's a very worrying thing to hear that these people were not discovered before boarding the flight.

 

[Tired Tyres]

Someone would have claimed responsibility though.

 

[Bram Turismo]

I don't think it was a terroristic attack, why would they crash the plane over the Atlantic Ocean? If it were a terroristic attack, the terrorists would've crashed the plane in Paris I think. The problem seems to be with the static tubes placed on the plane to measure airspeed. Here's a great article on those parts and how it may have caused troubles for the Airbus of Air France: Article

 

[Northstar]

Apparently the French secret service have discovered that two passengers on board this flight shared the names of known Islamic extremists. They are now investigating whether this is just a "macabre coincidence" or if these passengers were actually extremists, hence raising the possibility that this crash might have involved foul play... Article

I'm going to say it is a coincidence, I don't mean to offend anyone but Islamic names are normally fairly identical.

Anyways, I like how in the post 9/11 world "terrorism" is thrown around immediately after anything that happens. Take the 35W bridge here in MN, when it collapsed for some reason people thought it was terrorism despite there was no explosion or anything.

 

[Duke]

The problem seems to be with the static tubes placed on the plane to measure airspeed.

That wouldn't be the first time for an Airbus, either.

 

[Moglet]

Meanwhile, two terror suspects who died alongside 226 other passengers on the stricken jet have been ruled out as a cause of the disaster.

The two men only "shared the same name" as known Islamic radicals, posthumous security checks found.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090611/twl-air-france-jet-disintegrated-in-mid-3fd0ae9.html

 

[Famine]

Ooooh... I don't quite know what to say about this, but it's a bit of a bugger.

 

[Mark T]

Ooooh... I don't quite know what to say about this, but it's a bit of a bugger.

Jebus, conspiracy theorists are going to be jizzing in there pants.

 

[Northstar]

It's the real life version of Final Destination. I guess it was really her time.

 

[Touring Mars]

Nah... much like the fact that two of the passengers shared the names of Islamic terrorists, methinks this is just an unfortunate coincidence. Still, those other folks who missed the flight might have a few restless nights