Egyptian investigators say EgyptAir black box will broadcast until June 24, USA to join the search

The black boxes aboard downed EgyptAir flight MS804 should continue to broadcast signals until June 24, the Egyptian commission investigating the crash said in a Monday statement.

On Sunday, investigators reportedly said the batteries in the black box would only last for another five days.

Finding the black boxes, which contain flight data and cockpit voice recordings, could prove critical in determining the cause of the May 19 crash, which killed all 66 people on board. Without the signals, it will be difficult — although not impossible — for the black boxes to be found 3,000 meters below the surface of the Mediterranean Sea.

An EgyptAir source previously told Mada Masr the black boxes send out signal for 30 days after the crash.

Monday’s statement, posted on Facebook by Egypt’s Civil Aviation Authority, also said Egyptian investigators have received radar images that confirm the airplane made two sudden turns before the crash.

This corresponds with reports from Greek aviation officials that the airplane swerved in mid-air before rapidly losing altitude.

Egyptian officials have previously denied these reports, saying the plane was cruising at normal height before disappearing from radar.

The investigation committee also announced that it has approved a request from the United States’ National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to send a representative to the investigation. As the country of manufacture of the aircraft’s engine, the NTSB is entitled to assist in the investigation.

Nearly a month after the crash, its cause remains a mystery. No group has claimed responsibility for bringing the plane down, and the evidence uncovered so far has not made it clear whether the crash was the result of a mechanical problem, a technical error or a deliberate act.