The search continues for a missing Air France jet that disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean four hours after leaving Rio de Janeiro for Paris on Sunday.

As family members gathered to wait for news of what happened to Air France flight 447, French president Nicolas Sarkozy warned the chance of finding survivors is very small. But he promised an all out search.

Air France flight 447 carried two-hundred-and-28 passengers and crew.

The airline says the jet flew into storms and heavy turbulence four hours into its flight.

Analysts doubt lightning and turbulence would have brought the plane down. But they note that rough weather may have triggered a series of malfunctions that led to its disappearance.