>I do believe the French are trying to spin this,
quite probable
>and the US media is falling for it.
Possibly.
The interim report suggests some deep stall/flat spin situation that was entered due to some combination of weather, weight and balance, erroneous speed information. This slammed onto the water with high vertical velocity but little if any forward motion is said to be supported by the concave failure of the fuselage and the compressive failure of vertical structural members.
Are you able to list the counter-vailing indications and then list whether these indications are based on unsupported news reports or are more factually supported by direct observations.
Failure to inflate a life vest can be attributed to a high velocity vertical impact, a horizontal impact, disorientation due to stress, a conscious desire due to clear-headed decision, etc. Multiple failures to inflate a life vest are consistent with the interim report's views, but hardly substantial evidence of anything.