Air France Flight AF-447, Just the facts (Updated June 14, 2009)
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Of the 228 people aboard the Air France flight that crashed, it is reported 15 more bodies of passengers have been recovered. Four bodies were men and four women.
Brazil reports 17 bodies have been recovered so far from jet crash
The plane: an Airbus 330.
Flight No: AF-447.
Passenger count was 228 people.
Departure time: Brazilian time, 7:00 p.m.
Contact Lost with plane: 11:00 p.m.
Severe Turbulence: 2:15 a.m. GMT, 12:15 a.m. AEST, severe turbulence and a dozen technical messages
Arrival time (expected): 9:15 a.m. France time or AEST, 5:15 p.m.
Date of crash: May 31, 2009.
Signaled trouble: electrical problems leading to a loss of cabin pressure.
Survivors: None found as of June 7, 2009.
Location of crash: Between Rio De Janerio and Paris, France
Passenger and Crew Recovery: Recovered bodies being taken to the Brazilian islands of Fernando de Noronha.
Recovery Success: Nine bodies aboard a Brazilian ship.
Seven bodies aboard a French ship.
Black Box Recovery: will require submarines or other sub retrieval craft with the ability to dive 5 km deep or the equivalent of around 3 miles.
Possibly related incidents: Bomb threat. AIR France says it received a bomb threat about a flight from Buenos Aires to Paris just days before one of its planes crashed into the Atlantic with 228 people on board.
Previous defects in the A330 – Several incidents leading to sudden
“In October 2008 the Qantas Airbus A330-300 was carrying 303 passengers and 10 crew from Singapore to Perth when it experienced what the airline has described as a sudden change in altitude.
The incident, later blamed on a computer glitch, left 74 passengers with fractures, lacerations and spinal injuries.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) director of aviation safety investigation Julian Walsh said the plane in was travelling at 37,000 feet and 177km north of Carnarvon when it suddenly climbed 300 feet and then abruptly pitched nose down.
A similar incident occurred in 2007 during a test flight for an A330 due to be delivered to Air Mauritius.
European manufacturer Airbus said: "Because of a sudden depressurisation the pilot pulled the plane down quickly, in line with procedure, causing those on board standing or walking about to fall”.
Six people were injured but the plane landed normally at Toulouse-Blagnac airport.
Today Airbus strongly defended the safety record of the A330 saying have never had a fatal crash during a commercial flight. “
Delivery date for plane in question: 2005.
Miles and hours flown: 18,800 flying hours or about 2,500 flights.
Number of A330 online: 600 with more than 11 million flying hours.
Details provided by News.com.au
Update: June 14, 2009
June 11, 2009 video of French nuclear submarine joining the effort for finding the black box. French nuclear sub with listening device. Three week deadline for batter life on black box power to sound blip is running. Date of crash is May 31, 2009. Three-weeks is June 21, 2009.
FRENCH SUBMARINE REPORT - the Emeraude
Submarines can dive to 300 meters. Research subs can go deeper and are on their way to the crash location. It's obviously a team effort. Why don't planes have GPS devices? Anti-terrorist issue or finance issue? If terrorist issue could GPS be activated with activation of the flight data recorder (black box)?
MESSAGE INFORMATION - Report indicates signal beacon has 30 days till it stops beeping.
Bodies Recovered as of June 13, 2009 -
"Forty-four bodies have now been recovered from AF447 after it went off radar en route from Brazil to Paris with 228 people, including five Brits were on board."
Nationalities on board this flight - There were 32 nationalities on board the flight.