An Air Algérie flight, travelling from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital, to Algiers early Thursday morning (July 24), has been reported missing, according to the Official Algerian News Agency.
The plane, which was carrying 116 people including 2 pilots and 4 flight attendants, disappeared from radar fifty minutes into its journey. Reports have said that the plane, which was chartered by Spanish airline, Swift Air, disappeared while flying over Mali, where conflict is rife in the north.
It is thought that the plane was asked to change its course because of poor visibility and in order to avoid a collision with another plane. Soon after this, at 0155 GMT, the plane lost contact with Air Traffic controllers.
Swift Air, stated that flight AH5017 was expected to land in Algiers at 0510 (local time) but never arrived.
Air Algérie told APS News agency: ‘In keeping with procedures, Air Algérie has launched its emergency plan,”
French transport minister Fredrick Culliver has said that it is likely that several French passengers were on board. Two French jets based in West Africa were deployed to find the missing plane.
Reports from Algeria have said that the plane may have crashed.
