Air France Plane Missing Over Atlantic

An Air France Airbus 330-200 with 228 people onboard took off last night from Rio de Janeiro on an expected 11-hour flight to Paris. It is missing. A lightning strike has been suggested.

The Brazilian military has commenced search and rescue operations at the point of reported disappearance in the vicinity of the island of Fernando de Noronha off the northeast coast of Brazil.

Flight AF 447 had 216 passengers and 12 crew, including three pilots. Thus far, no Americans are reportedly involved.

The French Air Force has sent two planes from an African base to aid in the search. Oddly, French Transportation Minister Jean-Louis Borloo has ruled out hijacking as the cause and said it probably was an accident. I suggest the minister is being presumptuous since the plane is still missing and an investigation has barely commenced.

Air France has set up telephone hotlines and a crisis center in Paris.