Conflicting reports on Air France crash

Conflicting reports have emerged about what caused an Air France jet carrying 228 people to crash into the Atlantic Ocean.



Investigators say the flight data recorders have not been recovered, and the plane\'s crew did not send any messages indicating problems before the plane disappeared.



A Spanish pilot had reported seeing what he described as an intense flash in the area where Flight 447 went down off the coast of Brazil.



However, a Brazilian minister has ruled out a mid-air explosion as the cause of the crash.



A report in France has suggested that the pilots were perhaps flying at the wrong speed for the violent thunderstorm they flew into early on Monday before the Airbus’ systems failed.



Brazil\'s defense minister Nelson Jobim said a 12-mile oil slick near where the plane, en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, went down is evidence that the aircraft probably did not break up until it hit the water.



If true, that would rule out an in-flight explosion as the cause of the crash of Air France Flight 447.



The Airbus A330 went down about three hours after beginning what was to have been an 11-hour flight.



No survivors have been found.