Russian confirmed on board missing Air France plane

Media reports said that an automated message concerning an electrical short had been sent from the plane at 02:14 GMT after the airliner hit turbulence. This was the last contact with the flight. Neither civilian nor military radars have been able to locate the aircraft. The citizens of more than 20 countries could be on board the plane, Belgian media reports said. Some 80 of the passengers are believed to be from Brazil, 73 from France, 18 from Germany, nine from Italy and six from the United States. Both Air France and French authorities have suggested the airplane could have been hit by lightning. The Brazilian air force has begun search efforts near the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha 350 kilometers (218 miles) to the northeast of the Brazilian mainland, the last location the airplane was in contact with ground controllers; Kazinform cites RIA Novosti. See www.en.rian.ru for full version.