Officials Say 'Floating Material' First Believed to Be From Missing EgyptAir Plane Is Not Part of Aircraft (UPDATED)

UPDATE 3:05 P.M. ET: A senior Greek air safety official says the debris found so far in the Mediterranean Sea does not belong to an aircraft, the Associated Press is now reporting.

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Original story below

CAIRO (TheBlaze/AP) -- Egypt's Civil Aviation ministry says in a statement that "floating material," including life jackets and plastic items have been found in the sea off the Greek island of Karpathos, close to the suspected site of the EgyptAir plane crash.

The ministry says that it is coordinating with Greek counterparts to examine what they have found and to determine whether the items could be part of the debris from the plane that crashed before dawn on Thursday.

"EgyptAir resource stated that the Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation has just received an official letter from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declaring the finding of wreckage of the missing aircraft No. MS 804 near Karpathos Island," EgyptAir said in a series of tweets on Thursday.

"EgyptAir sincerely conveys its deepest sorrow to the families and friends of the passengers onboard Flight MS804Family members of passengers and crew have been already informed and we extend our deepest sympathies to those affected The Egyptian Investigation Team in co-operation with the Greek counterpart are still searching for other remains of the missing plane."

Press Release
EGYPTAIR resource stated that the Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation has just received an official letter.

— EGYPTAIR (@EGYPTAIR) May 19, 2016

from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declaring the finding of wreckage of the missing aircraft No. MS 804

— EGYPTAIR (@EGYPTAIR) May 19, 2016

near Karpathos Island.
EGYPTAIR sincerely conveys its deepest sorrow to the families and friends of the passengers onboard Flight MS804

— EGYPTAIR (@EGYPTAIR) May 19, 2016

Family members of passengers and crew have been already informed and we extend our deepest sympathies to those affected.

— EGYPTAIR (@EGYPTAIR) May 19, 2016

The Egyptian Investigation Team in co-operation with the Greek counterpart are still searching for other remains of the missing plane.

— EGYPTAIR (@EGYPTAIR) May 19, 2016