An Airbus A320 with 56 passengers and crew crashed yesterday in the Mediterranean Sea.
MS804 flight aircraft disappeared from radar at 2:45 am at a distance of 174 miles from the Egyptian coast, immediately after entering Egyptian airspace.
On board were 66 people. Later, Egypt's Minister of Civil Aviation said that the wreckage has been found not far from the Greek island of Crete. Among the passengers were 30 Egyptians, 15 French, 2 Iraqis, 1 Algerian, 1 Belgian, 1 British, 1 Canadian, 1 Saudi, 1 Sudanese, 1 Portuguese, 1 Kuwaiti, and 1 citizen of Chad.
The A320 was made in 2003 and had flown 48,000 hours. Both pilots were experienced.
According to the Greek Minister of Defense, before the plane descended, it turned 90 degrees to the left, and then made a 360 degree manoeuvre. At this time, the height was 20,000 feet.
While officials have not declared that the cause of the crash was an act of terrorism, it is considered to be one of the most probable versions. Various factors confirm it. In addition, a number of representatives from the special services of different countries spoke about it.
If this version is confirmed, then it puts the security of France and the EU into question. The previous terrorist attack on the territory of Egypt, where passengers from Russia were killed, was successful due to the lack of security provided at the airport in Egypt. But in this case the question is of European security, and after a series of terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels, the next explosion onboard an aircraft would only worsen the crisis. So far the French authorities have not make any statement to that effect. Examination of the wreckage may take about a week or more.
