Algeria airliner missing on Sahara route from Burkina Faso

[cronus]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-28460625

Algeria airliner missing on Sahara route from Burkina Faso

Algeria's national airline, Air Algerie, says it has lost contact with one of its planes flying from Burkina Faso to Algiers across the Sahara.

Contact was lost about 50 minutes after take-off from Ouagadougou, it said. The plane was last seen at 0155 GMT.

Flight AH 5017 had 110 passengers and six crew on board, Spanish airline Swiftair, which owns the plane, said.

The pilot had contacted Niger's control tower in Niamey to change course because of a storm, correspondents say.

Air Algerie tweeted that 50 French citizens were among those on board.

BBC West Africa correspondent Thomas Fessy says the route is well used by French travellers.

"In keeping with procedures, Air Algerie has launched its emergency plan," Air Algerie officials, quoted by APS news agency (in French), said.

Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal reportedly told Algerian radio: "The plane disappeared at Gao (in Mali), 500km (300 miles) from the Algerian border."

(continued, dropping like flies...)

[Clinton Huxley]

All this plus Gaza, Ebola, bubonic plague in China. Xmas come early for you, Scumple.

[cronus]

All this plus Gaza, Ebola, bubonic plague in China. Xmas come early for you, Scumple.

Perfect storm brewing. We are still in the foothills of the campaign. Surely a attack by aliens gonna be in the mix later?

[HomerJay]

"In keeping with procedures, Air Algerie has launched its emergency plan," Air Algerie officials, quoted by APS news agency (in French), said.

Phew! I thought for a moment they weren't doing anything.