Air Algerie plane 'disappears' with 116 on board: live

11.27 Mali - the shortest flight path for AH5017 - is currently considered a 'high risk' flight zone by US airlines, according to this Wall Street Journal graphic.

However, a senior French official has told AP it is unlikely that fighters in Mali had weaponry that could shoot down a plane:

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak for attribution, said the fights have shoulder-fired weapons which could not hit an aircraft at cruising altitude.

11.25 Contact was lost with the plane some time after 01.55GMT (02.55 UK), according the official Algerian news agency.

'In keeping with procedures, Air Algerie has launched its emergency plan,' the agency quoted the airline as saying.

11.22 The flight code was AH5017, according to AP, and originated in the Burkina Faso capital city of Ouagadougou.

Ougadougou is in a nearly straight line south of Algiers, passing over Mali where unrest continues in the north.

11.16 Air Algerie is the national airline of Algeria, flying to 28 countries including the United Kingdom.

It is not yet clear what route the plane was taking when it went missing, but would most likely have been flying over either Mali or Niger.

11.10 A plane carrying 110 passengers from Burkina Faso to Algeria has gone missing, according to reports. The plane was an Air Algerie aircraft, and lost contact with air traffic controllers 50 minutes after takeoff.