The management of Air France reported that Airbus A-330-200 of the Air France airlines was hit by strong turbulence and the liner was likely struck by lightning after the disappearance, RIA Novosti reports.
According to the confirmed data, there were 228 people - 216 passengers and 12 rather than 15 crew members on the board of the liner, which was due to arrive in the Paris international airport of Roissy Charles de Gaulle at 13.15 Moscow time.
The last message that was received from the board of A-330 was information about the problems in the aircraft electrical system.
According to the airline and the Minister for Environment and Energy of France, Jean-Louis Borloo, a more likely hypothesis is that the airliner crashed.
The French Foreign Ministry has not yet given any report on the nationality of passengers of the flight, official of the ministry's press-service told RIA Novosti.
Lightning likely strikes Air France aircraft missing over Atlantic: (UPDATE)
