The official Egyptian news agency, Middle East News Agency, reported
that the aircraft was on a reconnaissance flight when it crashed suddenly.
MENA said the aircraft was used to search for uranium in the Gulf of Suez
and Egypt's Western Desert.
Government and industry sources said the Nuclear Materials Authority has
been conducting air and ground tests in northern Egypt believed to contain
significant deposits of uranium. The sources said Egypt, with plans to build
up to 11 reactors, has sought to become self-sufficient in any nuclear
energy program.
"The search for uranium and other metals has been going on for at least
a year," an industry source said.
The U.S.-origin King Air-90 was the only aircraft used by the Nuclear
Materials Authority.
In October 2007, President Hosni Mubarak said Egypt would build several
nuclear reactors to generate electricity. Mubarak has been discussing
Egypt's program with such countries as China, France, Kazakhstan, Russia and
the United States.