RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (CNN) -- Debris located early Tuesday in the Atlantic Ocean off the northeast coast of Brazil is wreckage from the Air France jet that disappeared Monday, Brazil's Defense Minister Nelson Jobim said.
No survivors have been found, he said.
Jobim made the announcement after meeting with relatives and friends of Brazilians who were among the 228 people aboard Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, France.
Two debris fields were found about 650 km (400 miles) northeast of the Fernando de Noronha Islands, an archipelago 355 kilometers (220 miles) off the northeast coast of Brazil -- or at latitude 2 north, longitude 30 west, the Ministry of Defense said on its Web site.
One of the fields was 5 km (3 miles) long and that both lie near the flight path between Rio de Janeiro and Paris.
Among the wreckage was an airplane seat, metal debris, an orange float, a drum and an oil spill, the posting said.
Brazilian air force planes spotted the debris field Tuesday morning, but it was not until a French commercial vessel arrived on the scene that the debris' origin was confirmed. The planes searched 10,000 square kilometers (3,861 square miles) of ocean throughout the day and will continue to search for more debris overnight, the Brazilian Air Force Said.
216 Passengers including the crew members!
The majority of the people on the flight were Brazilians, French and Germans. Other victims were from 29 other countries, including three from the United States. Of the crew, 11 were French, and one was Brazilian.
This is an International Tragedy!
Read more about the victims!
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