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Search Is On For Missing EgyptAir Plane

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This picture taken on May 19, 2016, shows an Egyptair Airbus A330 from Cairo taxiing at the Roissy-Charles De Gaulle airport near Paris after its landing a few hours after the MS804 Egyptair flight crashed into the Mediterranean. 
An EgyptAir flight from Paris to Cairo crashed into the Mediterranean on May 19, 2016, with 66 people on board, prompting an investigation into whether it was mechanical failure or a bomb. There were no immediate reports of the discovery of any debris in the area of sea between the Greek islands and the Egyptian coast where the plane vanished from radar screens. / AFP / THOMAS SAMSON        (Photo credit should read THOMAS SAMSON/AFP/Getty Images)
This picture taken on May 19, 2016, shows an Egyptair Airbus A330 from Cairo taxiing at the Roissy-Charles De Gaulle airport near Paris after its landing a few hours after the MS804 Egyptair flight crashed into the Mediterranean. An EgyptAir flight from Paris to Cairo crashed into the Mediterranean on May 19, 2016, with 66 people on board, prompting an investigation into whether it was mechanical failure or a bomb. There were no immediate reports of the discovery of any debris in the area of sea between the Greek islands and the Egyptian coast where the plane vanished from radar screens. / AFP / THOMAS SAMSON (Photo credit should read THOMAS SAMSON/AFP/Getty Images)

Greek officials say the Paris to Cairo red-eye flight was at cruising altitude when it made an abrupt turn left, then a 360-degree turn to the right as it dropped rapidly in altitude. Greek sailors in the area say they saw an explosion that "lit up the sky." Two large objects that may be wreckage have been spotted about 200 miles off the island of Crete.

Although aviation experts caution against speculation, this morning Egyptian officials said terrorism was the more likely scenario than mechanical failure. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley brings Here & Now host Robin Young up to date on the latest news.

Find more breaking news updates of this story via NPR.

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This segment aired on May 19, 2016.

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