Search teams hunt for jet crash remains

PARIS, France (CNN) -- Search and rescue teams worked through the night to find the remains of an Airbus jet that crashed into the Mediterranean Sea with seven people aboard, the jet's owner, Air New Zealand, said Friday.

The Airbus A320 was on a training flight when the crash happened Thursday evening off the coast of France.

Air New Zealand staff, including Chief Executive Rob Fyfe, were on their way to France to join a support staff in Perpignan, the town from where the jet took off, the airline said.

Joining him are safety and transport investigators, Airbus representatives, and members of the New Zealand Police, the airline said.

The airline said four of its staff were on board the plane when it crashed. It identified them as Captain Brian Horrell, 52; engineer Michael Gyles, 49; engineer Noel Marsh, 35; and engineer Murray White, 37. It said they were passengers on the flight.

Airworthiness inspector Jeremy Cook, of New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority, was also on board, Air New Zealand said. See a map of where the flight originated »

German charter airline XL Airways Germany, which was leasing the jet from Air New Zealand, said two of its pilots were on board.

At the time of the crash, the airline was flying the jet on a two-hour flight to Frankfurt, Germany, where it was due to hand the plane back to Air New Zealand, both airlines said.

A total of 150 people were involved in the overnight search-and-rescue mission, using five boats, two helicopters, and a light aircraft, Air New Zealand said. Thirty divers and a minesweeper are looking for the plane's flight data recorder and fuselage, the airline said.

The twin-engine Airbus had accumulated about 7,000 flying hours, Airbus said. Learn more about the Airbus A320 »

People in a civilian vessel saw the crash take place off the coast near Perpignan, a French government official said.

All About Airbus A320 • Air New Zealand Ltd.