Originally Posted by Saturn
Would appear to be rather close to a Cb.
- re-phrase that to "Would appear to be rather close to a red blob" and I'll agree.
You have provided your own answer to your earlier question - "METEOSAT measurement shows that cumulonimbus overshoots reached at least 6,000 ft above the tropopause." - I'm sure if you were to Google the height of the trop in summer in the tropics you will be complete.
Note the conclusions:
"Air France Flight 447 crossed through an area of tropical showers and/or
weak thunderstorms with
weak to moderate updrafts and a high likelihood of turbulence.", and also the last paragraph in your quoted piece.
Yes, they MAY have flown too close to the active part of a CB or even into one. They MAY have not used the radar correctly. At this time we can only surmise. I expect the CVR will tell - I understand there was little evidence of pax being strapped in?.