Human remains that were retrieved from the EgyptAir crash site insinuate that there was an explosion on board, according to a senior Egyptian forensics official.
The official, who is part of the Egyptian Investigative team, also added that he personally examined the remains from the crash site that have been discovered. All 80 pieces that were brought to Cairo so far are small human fragments, leading to his conclusion that it was an explosion.
He said: “the logical explanation is that it was an explosion. There isn’t even a whole body part, like an arm or a head.”
Another senior forensics official said that it was too early to specify whether the cause of the crash was an explosion due to the tiny number of remains that have been retrieved.
Both the French and Egyptian leaders said that terrorism could not be ruled out, however there has been no claim of responsibility from any group.
The international air and naval search for the black boxes and other remains continues. The black box could potentially hold traces that will explain why the plane crashed.
On Monday, Ehab Azmy, the Head of Egypt’s State-Run Provider of Air Navigation Services, said the plane plunged directly into the sea, challenging the Greek Defence Minister’s account that the plane made “sudden swerves” before it crashed.
Azmy said the radar had shown the plane was flying at its usual altitude of 37,000 feet (11,270 metres) in the minutes before it went missing.
He added: “That fact degrades what the Greeks are saying about the aircraft suddenly losing altitude before it vanished from radar.
“There was no turning to the right or left, and it was fine when it entered Egypt’s [flight information region], which took nearly a minute or two before it disappeared.”
Panos Kammenos, The Greek Defence Minister, said that the plane took a normal course through Greek airspace before taking a few rough sharp turns.
He said: “The plane carried out a 90-degree turn to the left and a 360-degree turn to the right, falling from 37,000ft to 15,000ft and the signal was lost at around 10,000ft.”
Hani Galal, an Air Accident Investigator said that the plane’s black box recorder will be analysed in Egypt, if it is found intact however if it is damaged, it will be sent abroad for analysis.
