EgyptAir MS804: Plane wreckage found

The wreckage of the missing EgyptAir flight MS804 has been found, according to Egypt’s investigation committee. The deep sea search vessel, John Lethbridge, has sent back the first images of the wreckage.

On Wednesday, Egypt’s Civil Aviation Ministry announced that the committee investigating the Airbus A320’s disappearance has spotted pieces of the plane cabin in several places. It did not specify the location or the size of the parts found.

EgyptAir MS804 crashed in the Mediterranean on May 19. It was en route from Paris to Cairo and had 66 people on board. No survivors were found. Authorities have been searching for the wreckage, as well as the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, which could reveal the cause of the crash.

Some pieces of the wreckage have been found over the past weeks. According to reports, evidence suggested there could have been fire in the plane. French television M6 claimed that the plane’s pilot contacted Cairo control to inform them of a smoke detected inside the aircraft. The pilot decided to make an emergency in an attempt to diffuse the fumes. M6 quoted unnamed French aviation officials.

The airline’s spokesman also initially said there had been a distress call received from the pilot, but EgyptAir later on withdrew the statement. The Egyptian government also denied the statement.

Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathy had claimed that the “possibility of having a terror attack is higher than the possibility of technical” failure. However, no evidence supporting the theory has emerged yet, and no militant group has claimed the attack.