An Air France passenger jet with 215 people on board went missing after dropping off radar over the Atlantic, just off the coast of Brazil, Paris airport officials have said.
Air traffic control lost contact with the Airbus A330 at 0600 GMT after it took off from Rio de Janeiro bound for Paris.

Air France says the pilot sent one final message stating power failures after the plane went through heavy turbulence accompanying a local storm front. As the plane was due to land in Paris at 1110 local time, authorities say there is no hope left for the missing airliner.

Meanwhile Brazilian authorities have launched a search in the area of the Fernando de Noronha archipelago just off the Brazil coast, but is is feared that the Air France jet was already further over the Atlantic when it disappeared. Air Traffic Control in Morocco has meanwhile confirmed they didn't receive any signal from the jet.