LOC17:59
14:59 GMT
PARIS, July 24 (KUNA) -- Two French "Mirage" air force planes were sent on a reconnaissance mission to northern Mali earlier Thursday and apparently located the lost Algerian MD83 plane that disappeared off radar screens this morning, "BFM Television" reported.
Defence Ministry sources would not confirm the media report which suggested the plane was found 70 kilometres north of the Malian town of Gao, where contact was lost with the aircraft.
More than 112 people, and perhaps as many as 119 passengers and crew were on the Air Algeria plane which had chartered the flight via a Spanish company. The plane lost contact with air control 50 minutes after takeoff.
At least 51 passengers are thought to be French, with 25 from Burkina Faso and 20 from Lebanon, with others from Algeria and Europe and North America, African media sources said.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius is to make a statement later in the evening. (pickup previous)
jk.mt