A pilot’s last words before crashing an EgyptAir 804 into the Mediterranean Sea have been released in an investigation.
Investigators revealed what had been said by the pilot onboard as well as confirming that smoke alarms had sounded off prior to the crash.
They described how the pilot simply said “fire” before the plane hit the water.
Soot found in the wreckage also indicated that a fire has erupted on the aircraft.
The investigative committee said: “The committee had … started listening to the cockpit voice recordings before the occurrence of the accident; where the existence of ‘fire’ was mentioned.
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“Still it is too early to determine the reason or the place where that fire started.”
The committee said that the data recorder indicates that smoke signals were going off due to a fire in the toilet.
The aircraft was carrying 40 Egyptians, 15 French, two Iraqis, two Canadians, and one passenger each from Algeria, Belgium, Britain, Chad, Portugal, Saudi Arabia and Sudan.
The flight was taking passengers from Paris to Cairo before it went missing in the Mediterranean.
Investigations confirmed that the plane made a 90-degree left turn followed by a 360-degree turn to the right before crashing.
They added that the search for the passengers has now ended.
The ship leading the search “reached the port of Alexandria today after the end of its mission, which had been extended for the second time, after making sure of the recovery of all human remains at the site of the accident”, the committee statement said.
Egypt and France’s judiciaries are investigating the crash. Both have not ruled out the possibility of a terror attack.
Last October, a Russian passenger plane was shot down over Egypt, leaving 224 passengers and crew dead.
The Islamic State jihadist group claimed responsibility for that attack.
EgyptAir said compensation payments worth $25,000 will be given to those affected by the recent crash.