Algerian family of four among EgyptAir disaster victims

An Algerian family of four has been killed in the EgyptAir plane that crashed between Cairo and Paris.  

"Algerian nationals Faisal Batheesh, his wife and two children - Mohammed, aged two, and Joumana, aged seven - are on the preliminary list of victims of this tragic incident," said Aziz bin al-Sharif, spokesman for the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  

Sharif added that the ministry would closely follow the evolving developments through embassies in Cairo and Paris, and will attempt to further verify the reports.

Search teams scoured the Mediterranean on Friday for the remains of an EgyptAir plane which crashed with 66 people on board, as mystery surrounded its fate, despite suspicions of terrorism.

Egypt's aviation minister had said that a "terrorist attack" was a more likely cause than technical failure for the Airbus A320's sudden disappearance from radar screens on a flight from Paris to Cairo.

But French Foreign Minister Jean-March Ayrault said there was "absolutely no indication" of why the flight came down.

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"We're looking at all possibilities, but none is being favoured over the others because we have absolutely no indication on the causes," he told French television.

There were thought to be at least ten nationalities among the list of victims, including 15 French, two Iraqis and a Briton. Most embassies have yet to confirm if their nationals were on board.

Egypt's Aviation Minister Sherif Fathy said he could not rule out either terrorism or a technical problem.

"I don't deny the hypothesis of a terrorist attack or something technical. It is too early," he told a news conference on Thursday.

French President Francois Hollande promised a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the crash as suspicions swiftly focused on a bomb.

"We must ensure that we know everything on the causes of what happened. No hypothesis is ruled out or favoured," he said in a televised address.