Rescuers are continuing to scour the Atlantic Ocean for signs of the Air France passenger plane which disappeared in a storm early on Monday with 228 people on board. The search - involving ships and planes from many nations and rescue workers from Brazil, France, Spain and the United States - was partly suspended overnight, although aircraft with monitoring equipment continued to scour the sea.

A pilot of Brazil's TAM Airlines, who flew over the area, has reported seeing “bright spots” on the surface of the ocean. The Brazilian air force is also searching for the aircraft near the island of Fernando de Noronha, around 500 kilometres to the east of Rio de Janeiro. French military aircraft have also joined the search.

The Airbus A330 was travelling from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, where it was expected to land at 11.00 am local time. Three hours after take-off the plane, Air France flight 447, sent an automatic error message reporting a fault in an electrical circuit. Aviation officials report the plane was most likely hit by lightning. More than three hours into the flight, Brazilian radar lost the aircraft and it failed to reappear on the radar at the Cape Verde Islands.

People from 31 countries were on board the plane, including 61 from France, 58 Brazilians, 26 Germans and two Dutch citizens. A crisis centre has been set up at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. Air France-KLM has set up an information number in the Netherlands: 0033-157021055.