From the AP
Intresting that some speculation in reports that a ditress call had in fact gone out, this quote in the AP though...
'Kenya Airways CEO Titus Naikuni held back on confirming the crash "until we see the plane — until then, it's missing," he said.
He said the distress call was issued automatically — "from a machine, not a pilot" — but said a crash is not the only reason a plane issues an automatic distress signal.'
I conclude from this that it would be an ELT or Transponder (limited radar coverage so less likely) ???
Regardless cannot be optimistic about the outcome.
God Bless family and friends.