MISSING PLANE DEBRIS FOUND Absolutely no indication of the cause

Posted on 05/20/2016 | About Alexandria, Virginia

Egyptian airport officials said this morning that investigators will inspect the plane debris and personal belongings that the Egyptian army says it found 180 miles (290 kilometres) north of the city of Alexandria. The Airbus 320 plane operated by EgyptAir was carrying 66 people from Paris to Cairo when it disappeared off radar at around 2.45 a.m. local time in Egypt.

The officials said Friday that the chief Egyptian investigator Ayman el-Mokadam will be joined by French and British investigators as well as an expert from AirBus. 

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press. 

Earlier Egyptian army spokesman, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Samir, said in a statement posted on his Facebook page that Egyptian jets and naval vessels participating in the search for the missing plane have found “personal belongings of the passengers and parts of the plane debris,” 180 miles (290 kilometres) north of the city of Alexandria. 

Authorities are continuing to search a wide area to the south of the Greek island of Crete Friday. 

France's foreign minister and a top transport official say there is still no sign of what brought down a Paris-Cairo EgyptAir flight in the Mediterranean. 

Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Friday on France-2 television there is “absolutely no indication” of the cause. 

The junior minister for transport, Alain Vidalies, said on France-Info radio that “no theory is favoured” at this stage and urged “the greatest caution.” 

Amid fears it was an extremist attack, Vidalies defended security at Charles de Gaulle Airport, saying staff badges are revoked if there is the slightest security doubt.