Tha airliner disappeared from the radar screen 40 minutes after take off at 6:20 GMT (11:50 IST) from the John F Kennedy airport. The flight carrying 214 people 199 passengers and 15 crew took off from JFK airport after an unexplained two-hour delay, according to airport officials.

Fox News cited a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) official as saying the plane had exploded in mid-air. Authorities said preliminary investigations had revealed no evidence of sabotage.

Egyptair chairman Mohammed Rayan also ruled out any sabotage and a US security official in New York said so far there was no indication of any criminal involvement.

Officials reported that a massive search had been launched in the waters offNantucket. A coast guard officer said four of its vessels and a plane were taking part in search operations.

``There may well be survivors because the water temperature is above 15 degroee celsius," coast guard Commander Alan Thompson said, describing search conditions as "perfect".

The plane had issued no distress call before it disappeared, Egyptair and the FAA said. Meanwhile, Cairo's international airport was a scene of chaos with shocked relatives crying and shouting at officials wanting more news about their beloeved ones. One woman fainted after hearing about the plane's disapperance and had to be given medical help.

Rayan said the new plane had been bought by his company around ten years ago. The pilot was a veteran flyer and had clocked 10,000 hours, he added.