Flight AF 447 on 1^st june 2009

A330-203, registered F-GZCP

Press release, 12 June 2009

During the third Press Conference that was held on 17 June on the progress of the investigation into the accident to flight AF 447, the BEA presented the sea search operations that are under way. It contains a map of the locations of the airplane debris, including the fin, that were recovered from the surface of the sea. This debris field corresponds to a relatively small area with a drift towards the north.

A targeted undersea search area has been established based on the position of the parts recovered – more than four hundred items have been referenced – and on the flight path of the airplane reconstituted from data transmitted by the ACARS. Exploration began on Wednesday 11 June with an increase in the means deployed until 16 June 2009.

During this press conference, the few validated facts available at this time were set out and detailed:

• The airplane was in cruise at flight level 350 (about 10,500 metres).
• No messages indicating problems were received on the air traffic control radio frequencies.
• Close to the planned route of the airplane above the Atlantic there were significant convective cells characteristic of the equatorial regions;
• The last position message from the airplane was broadcast by the ACARS automatic system at 2 h 10 UTC.
• Between 2 h 10 and 2 h 14 UTC, 24 maintenance messages were transmitted by the ACARS, including 14 between 2 h 10 and 2 h 11.
• Analysis of these messages shows inconsistencies between the various speeds measured. Most of the messages appear to result from these inconsistencies; they correspond to the loss of several flight assistance systems.
• 49 bodies were recovered between 6 and 11 June 2009.