The Armed Forces received a distress signal from the missing EgyptAir plane at 4:26 am Cairo local time, a reliable EgyptAir source said.

The Armed Forces sent a number of planes and naval units to search for the plane that disappeared from radar earlier Thursday, the source said.

Greece sent a plane in coordination with Egypt to contribute to search and rescue efforts, the source added.

The Armed Forces spokesman said in a statement earlier Thursday that the step was taken within the framework of the Armed Forces' follow-up of the latest developments of the disappearance of EgyptAir flight from the radar. 

The national flag carrier has earlier said that Flight MS804 with 66 persons on board disappeared from radar 10 miles after entering the Egyptian air field.

Some 56 passengers along with 10 crew members were on board the Airbus A320.

Radar lost contact with the flight at 2:45 Cairo local time while it was at an altitude of 37,000 feet.

The flight took off from Charles de Gaulle airport on Wednesday 23:09 Paris local time then it disappeared from radar after entering the Egyptian airspace.

EgyptAir said that the captain had recorded more than 6,000 flying hours, including 2,000 hours in that model.

Source: MENA