Nantucket air disaster: Chequered History of the 767

THE BOEING 767 is the most widely used aeroplane across the Atlantic.

The EgyptAir jet (right) that crashed yesterday was a 767-300ER - one of five types of 767 in civilian use. ER stands for extended range.

EgyptAir took delivery of the plane in September 1989. The plane had completed more than 6,900 flights and over 30,000 flight hours.

The 767 can fly up to 7,080 miles in one stretch, can reach a maximum altitude of 35,200ft and has a cruising speed of 530mph. The 767 is estimated to have carried 813 million passengers on more than 3 million flights since it entered service on 8 September 1982.

But the plane's record has not been unblemished. One Boeing 767 crashed into jungle in Thailand in May 1991, killing 223 passengers and crew. Another 767 belonging to Air Ethiopia was involved in a hijack after which only 52 of the 175 involved survived. The aircraft plunged into the sea after hijackers refused to let it land to refuel. In January last year a United Airlines 767 made an emergency landing at Heathrow after the crew noticed smoke in the forward galley. Passengers were evacuated by chute.

Later a 7-inch section in a bundle of more than 100 wires was seen to have melted and burnt.