Police cleared media and passengers away from the entrance of Charles de Gaulle airport's terminal 2 on Monday.

They then blew up a suspicious package.

Media are standing by at the airport for news on the missing Airbus and its 228 passengers and crew presumed to have crashed in the Atlantic.

Air France says lightning and strong turbulence could have downed the plane en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris early on Monday.

If so, it would be the worst air disaster caused by lightning, according to the Aviation Safety Network.

Most experts say however, that such a strike was unlikely to down a modern jet.