Air France - No Debris Found

[Hazel104]

This is all so odd.
With the contradictory reports from the authorities involved, I feel for the families and friends involved. It must be awful not knowing what has happened to their loved ones.

I'm confused to what could have happened; a plane cannot just vanish can it?

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Ai r-France-Plane-Disaster-Officials-Say-No-Debri s-Has-Been-Found-In-Atlantic-Despite-Earlier-R eport/Article/200906115296406?lpos=World_News_ News_Your_Way_Region_2&lid=NewsYourWay_ARTICLE _15296406_Air_France_Plane_Disaster%3A_Officia ls_Say_No_Debris_Has_Been_Found_In_Atlantic_De spite_Earlier_Report

[buzybee]

was just about to post the same question hazel....its extremily odd the way the authorities have been giving misleading information.

Im starting to become a little suspicious...... surely there would be some wreakage found by now! Starting to remind me of the programme Lost!

[MWB]

What has happened to their loved ones is they've all crashed into a very hard ocean & died.

Yes, a plane can just vanish. In this circumstance, the area is HUGE & the wreckage will simply disappear.

Apart from bits that might eventually wash ashore anywhere in the world.

[redman41]

No, a Plane does not just vanish into thin air. I think the Brazilian Navy have been sidetracked by what appears to be Debris that has come from sources other than the Air France Plane. They will now have to widen the search area in the hope of finding some clues regarding the missing Plane. Relatives and friends of the missing must be going through agony at present. With the help of the American Spy Satellites they may be able to spot Debris which has come from the Plane in a different location. One thing is for certain, the Plane has certainly crashed somewhere at sea.

[paddywak]

sadly it can, ships and planes have been vanishing with out trace for years. In this Hazel the plane lets say the plane was at 30,000 ft when its last known position is recorded by the time it hits the water it could be miles from that position. by the time anybody realises that the plane actually has gone down and organised a search many hours might have passed before anybody actually gets onsite (which in fact may be miles from the actual impact point) depending on how the plane hit the water and broke up there might be very little actual debris floating on the surface and this will in turn be scattered over a wide area by wind and tide.As a result, unless any of the various electronic beacons work or a ship is passing and actually sees the plane come in it's like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack

[Hazel104]

MWB - yes true but the families will want to the how and whys of what happened won't they?

I also read yesterday that there was bomb threat to a Buenos Aires-Paris flight a few days before, but the plane was checked and cleared for flight. Some people are now saying it could be linked.

But I think a group would have come forward by now to claim responsibility if that was the case.

[Quinlad]

Aliens.

[youngmafbog]

I think people dont understand how vast and what terrain the Atlantic is. It is mountainous under there and very deep.

We may think we are technically advanced but the reality is we are not in all areas. Deep water is excessive pressures and we simply cant just 'dive' down there.

As for tracking a plane we are not as good aas we may like to make out.

I did see the relations a re already thinking of suing. For what ? A poosible act of 'god' ?

[trt]

Debris has been found by a few ships and there is also an oil slick in the area.

A submarine is also on its way to look for the black box, which the flight information will only last 30 days, when the batteries run out.

[Hazel104]

trt, if you read the link it has now been stated that he debris and oil slick are nothing to do with the plane involved.

Really Youngmafbog? Very sad if that is true; don't think I would be thinking about suing. But this is the age of litigation so I am not surprised really.

[youngmafbog]

Hazel, as you point out it appears the oil slick was a bum lead.

Recovereing a black box will be extremeley difficult in this area, even if you can pin point wher it is.

I'm afraid this may just have to be a case of acceptance of humans being fragile in the grand scheme of things.

[Hazel104]

Sadly, I think you are right Youngmafbog.

[Gromit]

The Black box gives off a signal for 30 days. A diving vessel is on its way to the area and should arrive in 8 days time. Assuming they pin point a search are within the next week, then there is still a possibility the box will be recovered.

Air France have issued a warning about not flying too slow in turbulance after hearing 5 minutes of the crew's conversations which are automatically sent to Paris.

Also, A spanish pilot has reported seeing a large flash in the area where the plane was last seen.

Terrorism has not yet been ruled out. There is evidence of decompression, but not a large explosion. The pilots were fighting the problem for at least 15 minutes. There was not a sudden explosion.

[SizzleSquid]

i dont get it either- a plane simply cannot vanish-no mattter how mountanious the atlantic is. Debris would have surfaced by now-not all debris can sink-some will float and it should have surfaced by now, also, subs have been in the area and no one has seen anything, above or below the water. If pilots were battling for 15 mins as people may say then why no mayday? why no communication to ATC?
nothing?
Im starting to think of bermuda traingle type theories-stupid-but no one could explain those either.
its been quite a few days now so i dont get it.

[Gromit]

The area they are searching is 50,000 square miles. It is like a needle in an haystack.

No mayday possibly because the planes electronics were knocked out by the electrical storm or decompression.

[rov1200]

If a plane loses internal pressure those on board will completely black out. The plane will be pilotless. The autopilot will be engaged to keep the same route until running out of fuel.

This happened about 10 years ago when a pilotless plane was tracked and other aircraft went up to see the pilot motionless in his seat. But this one did crash when running out of fuel.

Not possible again is it?

[rov1200]

This Greek tradegy shows what could happen

http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/208526 /black_box_clue_to_air_crash_fireball_that_lef t_121/index.html