Greek navy vessels and aircraft are assisting in the search operations for the missing EgyptAir flight MS804 after being alerted at 03:45 a.m. local time (0045 GMT), according to a Greek Defense Ministry announcement.

Photo taken on May 19, 2016 shows an airplane of EgyptAir taking off at the Charles de Gaulle Airport, in Paris, France. [Photo/Xinhua]

Two orange plastic items believed to belong to the A320 have been located by Egyptian vessels about 230 miles south of Crete, the Greek state TV ERT said, citing Greek Defense Ministry sources.

The plane, an Airbus 320, was off the radar at 2:45 a.m. Cairo local time (0045 GMT) en route from Paris to Cairo. It was flying at an altitude of 37,000 feet (11,280 meters) when losing contact with the radar, an official source in the airline said.

Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos said that the plane had made abrupt swerves and lost altitude within Egyptian airspace.

"The plane was southeast of Kassos and Karpathos islands. It had entered Egyptian airspace when it turned 90 degrees to the left and then 360 degrees to the right," Kammenos told an emergency press briefing broadcast on national television.

According to the Greek official the flight MS804 suddenly descended from 37,000 feet to 15,000 feet and then 10,000 feet while it was about 10 miles within the Egyptian airspace.

Greece's Civil Aviation Authority said in a press release that Greek authorities did not receive a distress call from the plane.

The flight MS804 entered the Greek airspace at 02:24 a.m. local time (2324 GMT, May 18), according to the press release.

During the last contact of the plane's pilot with Greek air traffic controllers at 02:48 a.m. local time while the Airbus was flying over the Greek island of Kos no problems were reported.

"The pilot was in a good mood and thanked in Greek," according to the press release.

The aircraft exited the Greek airspace, before suddenly disappearing from radar screens within Egyptian airspace at 03:29 a.m. according to the Greek authorities.

Athens attempted to contact the plane at 03:27 a.m. for the typical transfer of communication to Egyptian air traffic controllers, but there was no response, according to the official announcement.

"Greece is by Egypt's side, Hellenic Air Force and Navy assist the search and rescue mission by all means," tweeted the Greek Foreign Ministry.

In Egypt, Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathy said at a press conference that the plane was more likely to have been taken down by a terrorist attack than a technical problem.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian top prosecutor has ordered an urgent, comprehensive investigation into the disappearance.

Paris prosecutor has also opened an investigation into the disappearance of MS804.

Egypt said the plane carried 56 passengers including "15 French, 30 Egyptians, one British, one Belgian, two Iraqis, one Kuwaiti, one Saudi, one Sudanese, one Chadian, one Portuguese, one Algerian and one Canadian," besides three security personnel and seven crew members -- 66 people in total. Among the passengers there were also one child and two infants.

EgyptAir said the pilot of the plane had 6,275 hours of flying experience, including 2,101 hours on the same model, while the co-pilot had 2,766 flying hours.

Manufactured in 2003, the plane left Paris at 11:09 p.m. local time (2109 GMT) on Wednesday for a three-hour-and-45-minute journey.

EgyptAir also said concerned authorities and an inspection team which involves Egyptian and Greek military jets, have launched a search operation. The airline is following the situation through an integrated operation center.

French President Francois Hollande and his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, also vowed on Thursday to "work closely to establish as soon as possible the circumstances of the disappearance" of EgyptAir flight MS804, the Elysee said in a press release.

Foreign ministries of France and Egypt have agreed to "the need for a close coordination between the two countries in the assistance to the families of the passengers, as well as in the investigation for the cause of the disappearance," according to the press release.

Speaking to local radio, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said the French government is "in close contact with the Egyptian military and civil authorities."

"France is ready to participate in the searches," he said.

A toll-free number has been announced for friends and families of the passengers on board.

Reiterating close cooperation with Egyptian officials to determine the crash causes, French President Hollande said to dispatch aircraft and vessels to help Egyptian authorities to find debris that would "allow to know the truth."

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond on Thursday expressed his deep concern over the loss of EgyptAir flight MS804.

"Deeply concerned by missing EgyptAir. Can confirm British passport holder was on board and FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) is supporting the missing passenger's family," he said on his Twitter account.

In a separate statement, he said: "My thoughts are with the family and friends of all those missing following the disappearance of EgyptAir's flight MS804."

He also confirmed that one British passport holder boarded the flight in Paris and FCO staff are providing support and assistance to the family.

"We are in close contact with Egyptian and French authorities and have offered the Egyptian authorities our support in their search and rescue efforts," he added.

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