Paris, 01 June 2009 - 11:31 local time
First press release
Air France regrets to announce that it has lost contact with flight AF 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris-Charles de Gaulle, expected to arrive this morning at 11:15 local time.
The flight left Rio on 31 May at 7pm local time.
216 passengers are on board.
There are 12 crew members on board: 3 pilots and 9 cabin crew.
The following toll-free number is available in France: 0800 800 812,
and + 33 1 57 02 10 55 outside France.
Air France fully shares the anxiety and distress of the families of the passengers concerned. The families are been taken care of in a specially reserved area at Paris-Charles de Gaulle 2 airport.
Português
Air France lamenta informar que se encontra sem notícias do voo AF 447 que efetuava a ligação entre Rio de Janeiro e Paris Charles de Gaulle, com chegada prevista às 11h15 da manhã (hora local).
O voo decolou do Rio no dia 31 de maio às 19 horas locais.
216 passageiros estão a bordo.
A tripulação é composta de 12 pessoas : 3 tripulantes técnicos e 9 comissários.
Um toll free está disponível :
0800 800 812 para a França,
e + 33 1 57 02 10 55 para outros países
A Air France divide a emoção e a inquietação das famílias envolvidas. Os familiares serão recebidos num local especialmente reservado no aeroporto de Paris Charles de Gaulle 2 assim como no do Galeão.
File photo of an Air France Airbus A330
Air France Flight 447 carrying 228 people from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport is reported missing off the Brazilian coast. The flight was scheduled to arrive in Paris at 11:10 CET on June 1, 2009.

The Airbus A330-200 was last heard via radio at 22:30 local time (01:30 GMT). The Brazilian Air Force is confirming the disappearance of the aircraft, which vanished from radar approximately  off the Brazilian coast. ''Reuters'' reports that an electrical short circuit during turbulence may have caused the plane to plunge into the Atlantic Ocean. The plane with registration F-GZCP has totalled 18,870 flight hours and went into service on 18 April 2005. Its last maintenance check was on April 16, 2009.
The intended route of Flight 447.
"We have received no news from flight AF447," said Air France in a statement. The plane was carrying 12 crew members and 216 passengers, of which 126 men, 82 women, 7 children and one infant. 

In a press communiqué, Air France stated that AF447 had encountered an area of heavy turbulence at 02:00 GMT and that the aircraft had sent an automatic message indicating an electric failure at 02:14 UTC. 

Search and rescue operations by the Brazilian Air Force are to be initially centered on the island of Fernando de Noronha. The aircraft has been missing for a sufficient time that it will no longer have any fuel remaining if it was airborne.

French President Sarkozy said the prospects of finding survivors are "very small". He also requested that America use their surveillance satellites to assist in locating the plane.

Air France has provided three telephone numbers for the families and friends of those on board AF447: 
*'''0800 800 812''' for calls from within France 
*''' 0800 881 20 20''' for calls from Brazil 
*'''+33 1 57 02 10 55''', for calls from outside France or Brazil. 

A "specially reserved area" of Charles de Gaulle airport's Terminal 2 is being used to care for the families of those on board AF447.