Air New Zealand CEO holds out hope

PERPIGNAN, France, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- The head of Air New Zealand said he was hopeful survivors would be found after a plane owned by the carrier crashed in the Mediterranean off the French coast.

In addition to an Air New Zealand pilot, three engineers and a Civil Aviation Authority inspector were among the seven people aboard the A320 Airbus, which crashed Thursday off the southeast coast of France near Perpignan, the Otago Daily Times in New Zealand reported.

The newspaper reported at least three people had been confirmed dead while the four others were missing.

"I certainly haven't given up hope," Air New Zealand head Rob Fyfe told reporters Thursday. "I'm hopeful there still may be survivors, the early indications are that the plane and the debris were floating on the water."

The aircraft, which was leased by XL Airways and flown by two of the company's pilots, was about to be returned to the Air New Zealand fleet.