- Title: Egyptians saddened by news of missing plane
- Date: 20th May 2016
- Summary: ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT (MAY 20, 2016) (REUTERS) TRAFFIC IN STREET / MEDITERRANEAN SEA MEDITERRANEAN SEA WITH BUILDINGS SEEN IN DISTANCE FISHERMEN FISHING NEAR SEA SHORE WAVES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPTIAN, MOHAMED MAHMOUD HUSSEIN, SAYING: "If what happened was an act of God then naturally there isn't much anyone can say about it, but if it was an act of terrorism, we all deplore terrorism and it's impossible for anyone to accept that someone could hurt another person like that. We as Muslims reject terrorism and reject whatever could have led to such a thing taking place." FISHING BOAT SEEN AT SEA PEOPLE SEATED AT ROCKS NEAR SEA SHORE YACHT SEEN DOCKED IN DISTANCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPTIAN, MAHMOUD SAYED, SAYING: "I really don't know what to say. This news saddened a lot of families and a lot of people, but this was fate, an act of God. Whoever thinks that this was an act of terrorism - this is not true." VARIOUS OF CARS IN STREET STREET / MEDITERRANEAN SEA
- Embargoed: 4th June 2016 17:39
- Keywords: Egypt plane missing Alexandria reactions EgyptAir
- Location: ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT
- City: ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT
- Country: Egypt
- Topics: Air Accidents,Disaster/Accidents
- Reuters ID: LVA0014IM6DL3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Egypt said on Friday (May 20) its navy had found human remains, wreckage and the personal belongings of passengers floating in the Mediterranean.
It was confirmation that an EgyptAir jet had plunged into the sea with 66 people on board.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi offered condolences for those on board, amounting to Egypt's official acknowledgement of their deaths, although there was still no explanation of why the Airbus had crashed.
The navy was searching an area about 290 km (180 miles) north of the port city of Alexandria, just south of where the signal from the plane was lost early on Thursday.
It looked like business as usual in the bustling streets of the coastal city, but residents could not but feel concerned about the deadly crash which happened almost on their doorsteps.
"If what happened was an act of God then naturally there isn't much anyone can say about it, but if it was an act of terrorism, we all deplore terrorism and it's impossible for anyone to accept that someone could hurt another person like that. We as Muslims reject terrorism and reject whatever could have led to such a thing taking place," said Alexandria resident Mohamed Mahmoud Hussein.
"I really don't know what to say. This news saddened a lot of families and a lot of people, but this was fate, an act of God. Whoever thinks that this was an act of terrorism - this is not true," added another resident Mahmoud Sayed.
A European satellite spotted a 2 km-long oil slick in the Mediterranean, about 40 km southeast of the aircraft's last known position, the European Space Agency said.
Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said that it was too early to rule out any cause for the crash. The aviation minister said a terrorist attack was more likely than a technical failure.
Although suspicion pointed to Islamist militants who blew up another airliner over Egypt seven months ago, no group had claimed responsibility more than 36 hours after the disappearance of flight MS804, an Airbus A320 flying from Paris to Cairo.
The plane vanished just as it was moving from Greek to Egyptian airspace control. Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos said it had swerved radically and plunged from 37,000 feet to 15,000 before vanishing from Greek radar screens. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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