Looking over Mali for debris of the aircraft (pics&vid)
The flight of Algerian airlines, AH5017, crashed 70 kilometers from the city Gao in Mali.
According to unconfirmed information, the aircraft was detected by two French Mirage 2000 fighters, 70 kilometers from the border of Mali, in an inaccessible area.
Earlier other information indicated that the flight AH5017 had crashed in Niger. However, according to preliminary information, the aircraft was lost while flying in the airspace of Mali. The plane was traveling from Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso, to the capital of Algeria, Algiers, but disappeared about 50 minutes into the flight.
The pilot requested permission to change course because of a sandstorm about 20 minutes into the flight, said Transport Minister Jean Bertin Ouedrago. He also said that the list of passengers on board included 51 French citizens. Despite adverse weather conditions prevailing, analysts leave all options open, even a hijack. However, increased fears appear even for shooting, as in Mali and Nigeria strong conflicts are happening.
Officer of Algerian aviation: "The aircraft has crashed"
The flight of Air Algerie lost en route from Burkina Faso in Algiers crashed, said to the news agency Reuters an official Algerian aviation. "I can confirm that it has crashed" the official said declining to reveal known details of where the plane is and what caused the crash.
Meanwhile, a French military spokesman said that two fighter jets of the French Air Force based in West Africa, are trying to find the flight of Air Algerie.
"Two Mirage 2000 jets that have their base in Africa were sent to try to locate the plane of Air Algerie, which disappeared" said French military spokesman Gilles Jaron.
"They will explore a range from the last known point of the plane and along the road that it may have followed". Meanwhile, in Madrid, private Spanish airline Swiftair announced that it has lost contact with one of its planes, carrying 110 passengers and a crew of six members, which was chartered by Air Algerie.
The company mentioned on its website that the plane had taken off from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso at 1:17 (local time) and was due to land in Algiers at 5:10 (local time), but never reached its destination.
The list of passengers includes 51 French, 27 nationals from Burkina Faso, eight Lebanese, six Algerians and five Canadians.
There were also four Germans, two nationals of Luxembourg, a Swiss, a Belgian, an Egyptian, a Ukrainian, a Nigerian, a national of Cameroon and one from Mali, said Transport Minister Ouedraogo. Mariela Castro, daughter of Raul Castro, is a prominent proponent of gay rights for the prevention of AIDS and activist. She is married with three children. The six crew members are Spanish, according to the Association of Spanish pilots.
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