The tragic destruction of a Paris-bound 727 near Sharm-el-Sheik, Egypt. Flash Airlines Flight 604 was destroyed due to what is being called a "mechanical failure" shortly after takeoff from Egypt. 148 were killed, including 133 French tourists returning to Paris via Cairo.
There are some who are wondering about the possibility of terrorism in this case. However, the more likely explanation seems to be the given explanation of mechanical failure. If a catastrophic structural failure, or a fuel tank explosion, were the cause of the incident, it is very possible that they pilots would not have had time to send a distress signal, nor would there be any significant amount of debris on the surface. The aircraft was destroyed over 1,000 feet of water and sharks would have likely eaten significant amounts of any intact bodies that would have hit the water.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair was vacationing at Sharm-el-Shiek during the same time, but there does not seem to be an obvious connection between the two.
The aircraft had been given a mechanical checkup, but even the smallest problem can potentially become catastrophic if the checkup was not sufficiently thorough. Smaller airlines, especially foreign operators with lax safety standards, are all too often involved in tragic incidents such as this.
It’s easy to associate such tragedies with terrorism, but unless there is some evidence, or claims of responsibility, it seems that the more likely answer is a catastrophic failure in a critical system resulting in the aircraft either crashing into the water or exploding in mid-air. Even if this is the result of an accident and not terrorism, it is still a great tragedy for the friends and families of those who lost their lives on that ill-fated flight.
