EgyptAir 2016 disaster started by cigarette in cockpit, report says

An EgyptAir crash in 2016 that killed 66 people in the Mediterranean was likely caused by a fire that started in the cockpit, according to the conclusions of French experts contained in documents revealed on Wednesday.

According to a 134-page document seen by Italian daily Il Corriere della Sera and sent to the Paris court of appeal in March, a fire on board was likely to have been caused by the conjunction of two factors.

These were a leak from the co-pilot’s oxygen mask and the combustion of a cigarette smoked by the pilot or co-pilot.

EgyptAir flight MS804 suddenly disappeared from radar screens on May 19, 2016 on its way to Cairo from Paris, killing everyone on board.

Egypt’s aviation minister had initially said a terrorist attack, rather than lack of maintenance, was more likely to have brought down the plane.

France’s aviation safety agency, however, said the aircraft transmitted automated messages indicating smoke in the cabin and a fault in the flight control unit minutes before losing contact.