An EgyptAir Airbus A320-200 (Reg. SU-GCC), performing flight MS804 from Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport (France) to Cairo International Airport (Egypt) with 56 passengers and 10 crew on board, was transiting over the Mediterranean Sea when radar and Air Traffic Control contact with the aircraft was lost. Flight tracking data shows the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 37,000 feet, when transponder and radar contact ceased. The Egyptian and Greek authorities subsequently launched a search and rescue mission. On May 20th, debris and wreckage was discovered in the Mediterranean Sea and all 66 occupants on board were found to have been fatally injured. The French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for civil aviation safety (BEA), in conjunction with the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority (ECCA) have launched an investigation.

It has been confirmed that several aircraft wreckage parts discovered on the coast of South Africa and Mauritius belonged to a Boeing 777 aircraft. The Australian Transport Safety Board (ATSB) conducted a series of identification tests on two possible aircraft parts; a piece of engine cowling and an interior cabin part, and concluded that they “almost certainly” came from missing Malaysian Flight MH 370. This finding followed the discovery of additional parts, which were also found on Reunion Island in late 2015 and Mozambique in early 2016.

A China Eastern Airbus A319, performing flight from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport to Kangding Airport, impacted a number of runway approach lights while attempting to land at Kangding. The aircraft struck approximately six lights, one of which penetrated the horizontal stabilizer, subsequently causing a hydraulic leak. The flight crew aborted the landing and returned to the departure airport where the aircraft performed a safe landing. The aircraft received substantial damage to its right hand stabilizer, hydraulic systems and a number of tyres.

As a result, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) launched an immediate investigation and also called an emergency meeting to identify the causal factors. Preliminary analysis of the flight data recorder showed that the flight crew had entered a holding pattern due to poor weather conditions. Upon receiving notification that weather had cleared, the flight crew initiated a descent. However, as the aircraft approached Minimum Descent Height (MDH), the crew had still not made visual contact with the runway. Despite this, the captain decided to continue with the approach. The aircraft consequently touched down outside of the airport perimeter and impacted four rows of approach lights. The flight crew failed to notify Air Traffic Control of the occurrence, which was also a breach of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).

The CAAC temporarily suspended the Sichuan Branch of Chine Eastern Airlines while it conducted disciplinary proceedings. The CAAC revoked the licences of both captains on board and suspended the first officer for 6 months. In addition to a sizable fine, the flight volume of the Sichuan branch was cut by 10% and it cannot apply for new routes nor increase its flight volumes.