Air France flight disappears

A Air France flight carrying 228 passengers from Rio de Janeiro to Paris ran into lightning and strong thunderstroms over the Atlantic Ocean, officials said today. Brazil began a search mission off its northeastern coast.

Chief Air France spokesman Francois said “it is possible that the plane was hit by lightning.

About four hours later, the plane sent an automatic signal indicating an electrical problem while going through the turbulence, Air France said.

Brazil’s air force said the last contact it had with the Air france was at 9:30 pm Sunday, but did not say where the plane was at that time.

Brazil’s air force was searching near the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, about 180 miles northeast of the coast.

~ by svswamy26 on June 4, 2009.