Greece to scale back EgyptAir search, items found in Egypt waters
Greece will scale back search and rescue assets deployed to find a missing EgyptAir airliner after objects thought to be from the aircraft were found in waters under Egyptian jurisdiction, two Greek government sources said on Thursday.
Greece had deployed a frigate and air assets to the area south of the island of Karpathos after the airliner with 66 people on board dropped off radars overnight in Egyptian airspace minutes after leaving Greek airspace. A transport aircraft would remain in the area.
Pieces of plastic and two lifejackets were found in the sea area about 230 miles (370 km) south of Crete. It was all found in waters under Egyptian jurisdiction, a Greek defence source said.
Greek authorities earlier reported the aircraft took a sharp 90 degree turn left, and then spun 360 degrees in the opposite direction as it plunged from cruising altitude of 37,000 feet to 15,000 feet before disappearing off radars. [Reuters]
