News

EgyptAir Flight Wreckage & Passengers' Items Found

by Alexi McCammond

After EgyptAir flight MS804 disappeared and crashed on May 19, debris was found from the EgyptAir plane early Friday morning, according to Egyptian military officials. The debris was reportedly found in the Mediterranean Sea, where the plane was last seen flying over before it was wiped from the radar screens.

Egyptian Army Spokesman Brig. Gen. Mohammed Samir released a statement on the Egyptian Army's Facebook page early Friday indicating that Egyptian jets and naval vessels found personal belongings of the passengers and parts of the plane. The debris was reportedly found approximately 180 miles north of Alexandria, Egypt.

The flight was carrying 56 passengers and 10 crew members from Paris to Cairo. The plane disappeared after approximately 3 hours and 40 minutes in flight, and after crossing into Egyptian airspace for 10 miles. Among the 56 passengers, 30 were Egyptian, 15 were French, and the others were from places like Kuwait, the U.K., Sudan, and Portugal, among others.

Yesterday's trip from Paris to Cairo was the plane's fifth trip along that same route, that same day. General Samir's Facebook statement indicated that the Egyptian military officials will continue to look for more debris and items relevant to the passengers who were on board.

A few of the plane's passengers and crew members have been identified. EgyptAir flight 804's co-pilot, Mohammad Mamdouh Assem, was only 24 years old. He had logged a total of 2,766 flying hours up until this May 19 trip and his father was a crew member for the same airline. The pilot, Mohamed Saeed Shaqeer, was 36 years old and he had logged 6,275 flying hours.

EgyptAir confirmed that they had been notified of the plane's debris and wreckage by the Egyptian military officials. "We extend our deepest sympathies to those affected and have engaged international emergency support group Kenyon to assist with care for those touched by this tragedy," EgyptAir said in its official Facebook statement and on Twitter.

Similarly, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's office issued a statement on Friday morning to express his condolences to everyone involved. “The presidency with utmost sadness and regret mourns the victims on aboard the EgyptAir flight who were killed,” it read.

The search for more debris will continue and information will be updated on EgyptAir's website and social media channels. In a series of tweets between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. ET, EgyptAir gave its condolences to the families and passengers: "EGYPTAIR sincerely conveys its deepest sorrow to the families and friends of the passengers onboard Flight MS804." EgyptAir also announced via Twitter that it has "engaged international emergency support group Kenyon to assist with care for those touched by this tragedy."

General Samir said “there is no doubt” that the debris is from the EgyptAir plane, according to The New York Times.