Scary news just posted on The Aviation Herald website. Simon reports that an Airbus A330-220 was flying from Rio de Janeiro to Charles de Gaulle in Paris when the crew issued a Mayday alert on the international emergency frequency, indicating the aircraft had encountered severe turbulence over the Atlantic.

According to Simon, “The Mayday call was relayed by the crew of a TAM Airbus A330-200.”

This aircraft appears to be AF Flight 445 GIG-CDG and the route the aircraft was following is very close to that which AF Flight 447 was on when it disappeared.

Thanks much to PBB subscriber Brian Rynott for this head’s up.