Three Irish confirmed on plane missing off Brazil coast

Three Irish citizens were on board an Air France plane which disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean on its way from Brazil to Paris, it has been confirmed.

The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that three Irish citizens were on board the flight which went missing this morning with 228 people on board.

The Irish Times understands the three are female and come from Roscrea in North Tipperary, Dublin and Northern Ireland.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen said the Government was 'deeply concerned' by the loss of the flight and extended a message of solidarity with relatives of those on board.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheal Martin said: "Following the disappearance of Air France Flight AF 447 I want to convey my concern to all families awaiting news of loved ones."

"Officials from my Department have regrettably confirmed that three Irish citizens are on the passenger manifest for the flight from Rio to Paris. We have contacted the families of those involved and are offering full consular assistance."

President Mary McAleese said thie evening: "My thoughts and prayers, and the thoughts of everyone, this evening are with the Irish families and the families of everyone on board at this very difficult time."

Irish embassies in France and Brazil are in contact with the authorities investigating the disappearance of the flight, Mr Martin said.

Speaking at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the prospects of finding any survivors are "very small."

Mr Sarkozy says "no hypothesis is excluded" in the search for causes of the disappearance of the Rio to Paris flight.

The French president met with some of families of those aboard the plane, including "a mother who lost her son, a fiance who lost her future husband."

Sarkozy said, "I told them the truth. The prospects of finding survivors are very small."

He said finding the plane "will be very difficult" because the search zone "is immense."

He said France has asked for help from US satellite equipment to locate the plane.

Flight AF 447 left Rio de Janeiro yesterday at 7 p.m. (10 pm Irish time) and had been expected to land at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport today at 11:15 a.m. (9.15am).

About four hours later, the plane sent an automatic signal indicating electrical problems while going through strong turbulence, Air France said.

The plane "crossed through a thunderous zone with strong turbulence" at 2am. An automatic message was received fourteen minutes later "signaling electrical circuit malfunction."

The jet's last known location was unclear and Brazil's Air Force said it lost contact with the plane at 01.33 am Irish-time.

At least 60 of those on board were French, roughly 60 were Brazilians, three were Irish and two were Slovaks.

In Washington, a Pentagon official said he'd seen no indication that terrorism or foul play was involved.

Air France-KLM CEO Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, at a news conference at Charles de Gaulle Airport north of Paris, said the pilot had 11,000 hours of flying experience, including 1,700 hours flying this aircraft. No name was released.

"We are without doubt facing an air catastrophe," Gourgeon said. "At this time, the plane's fuel reserves would not permit it to still be in flight."

He said the plane was "very far" from Brazilian coast when last contact was made, without providing details.

Aviation experts said the risk the plane was brought down by lightning was slim.

"Lightning issues have been considered since the beginning of aviation. They were far more prevalent when aircraft operated at low altitudes. They are less common now since it's easier to avoid thunderstorms," said Bill Voss, president and CEO of Flight Safety Foundation, Alexandria, Va.

He said planes have specific measures built in to help dissipate electricity along the aircraft's skin.

Experts said the absence of a mayday call meant something happened very quickly.

Families who arrived to meet passengers on board were cared for, away from reporters, at a special Air France information center at the Charles de Gaulle airport.

Air France said it alerted planemaker Airbus and France's civil aviation investigation office, known by its French acronym BEA.

If all 228 people were killed, it would be the deadliest commercial airline disaster since Nov. 12, 2001, when an American Airlines jetliner crashed in the New York City borough of Queens during a flight to the Dominican Republic, killing 265 people.

On Feb. 19, 2003, 275 people were killed in the crash of an Iranian military plane carrying members of the Revolutionary Guards as it prepared to land at Kerman airport in Iran.

Airbus said it was co-operating with transport authorities and Air France, but would not further comment until more details emerged.

"Our thoughts are with the passengers and with the families of the passengers," said Airbus spokeswoman Maggie Bergsma.

The Airbus A330-200 is a twin-engine, long-haul, medium-capacity passenger jet that is 58.8 meters (190 feet) long. It is a shortened version of the standard A330, and can hold up to 253 passengers. It first went into service in 1998 and there are 341 in use worldwide today. It can fly up to 7,760 miles.