An A320 crashed in France during test flight.

[Depretair]

Hello,

Following an article on rtlinfo.be (FR), an A320 crashed in France (Saint Cyprien) during a test flight.
5 persons where on board.

I don't have more info for the moment.

Cheers,

Olivier

[Depretair]

Other source,

tf1.fr,

plane crashed during landing procedure in Perpignan and continued into the mediterranean sea.
5 to 7 persons on board.

...

It doesn't seems to be a crash landing, as no runway is close to the sea...

[LX-LGX]

Le Figaro says it happened during a training flight.

http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2008/ ... a-bord.php

[LX-LGX]

So sorry:

TF1 mentions that one body has already been found.

At 18h40, Le Journal / France 3 TV / told that the local police has said that 7 people are missing, no survivors, one body found.

[sdbelgium]

Various sources:

D-AXLA owned by XL Germany, leased to Air NZ as ZK-OJL. Test flight GXL888T from Perpignan to Frankfurt... (not confirmed)

Sources: avherald, flightlevel

[Depretair]

Just quoting what i read a few minutes ago on tf1.fr

"Un Airbus A320 néo-zélandais, avec 7 personnes à bord (et non cinq comme indiqué dans un premier temps), qui était en phase d'atterrissage à Perpignan, s'est abîmé jeudi en mer Méditerrannée, au large du Canet-en-Roussillon. Toujours selon nos informations, le crash a été signalé aux secouristes par de nombreux riverains à 16h47.

"L'avion a coulé dans la mer, nous ne voyons plus que des débris. On nous a prévenus de la présence de 7 personnes à bord", a expliqué à LCI.fr le capitaine Rigal du Codis 66. Un premier puis un second corps sans vie ont été repêché. Les cinq autres sont toujours portés disparus. L'Airbus était piloté par deux Allemands employés par la compagnie charter allemande XL Airways Germany, a indiqué cette société, qui utilisait cet appareil en leasing depuis 2006. La carcasse de l'avion d'Air New Zealand, qui s'était envolé de Perpignan, a été repérée en mer à 3,5 milles du rivage.

Le plan rouge a été déclenché. Des ambulances, des plongeurs et de nombreux moyens maritimes ont été envoyés sur place par le CROSS méditerrannée, qui gère les opérations. L'avion était en révision à Perpignan chez la société EAS. Il effectuait un vol technique lorsque l'accident est survenu.

"

Sad news.

[sab319]

wasn't there supposed to be a German airline on the new EU blacklist?

[Desert Rat]

They were probably with the A/C in maintenance at EAS industries in Rivesaltes

[Duigan]

Further update on a very sad situation
A lot of miss imformation has been doing the rounds of the news media\

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/artic ... d=10545490

[euroflyer]

I have no possibility to confirm this, but the media reports in Germany say the A320 was owned by Air New Zealand, was built in 2005 and had been leased by Air New Zealand to XL Airways. The plane had been for a check and maintenance work in southern France and was on its way back to FRA where it should have been handed back to Air New Zealand. Therefore only 2 Germans were on board (the cockpit crew, again claims of German media are they have been a very experienced crew) plus 4 staff from Air New Zealand (1 pilot, 3 technicians) plus 1 inspector from New Zealand authorities.

Anyway, very sad news ...

[LX-LGX]

Rescue workers have recovered the CVR.

(source : radio news VRT 21h00)