Aircraft

Air France has confirmed that its flight AF447 from Rio de Janeiro is the one which has apparently disappeared while en route to Paris.

The French carrier is not confirming the aircraft type but the airline's schedule shows that this service is normally operated by an Airbus A330-200.

Aircraft communication, addressing and reporting system data indicates that the aircraft is registered F-GZCP, a four-year old airframe, serial number 660, owned by Air France.

A spokeswoman for the carrier says it "regrets to announce" that the situation concerns its Rio service which was due to at Paris Charles de Gaulle at 11:15.

This flight departed Rio de Janeiro at 19:00, she adds, with 216 passengers, three crew and nine flight attendants.

While reports, citing the Parisian airports operator, suggest contact with the flight was lost at 06:00UTC - by which time the flight would have been just three hours from Paris - other reports indicate a search is underway closer to Brazil.

All Air France A330-200s are powered by General Electric CF6 engines.

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