Coroner Rules Fire, Not Explosion, Caused EgyptAir Crash

A British inquest into the 2016 crash of EgyptAir flight MS804 concluded that the disaster was most likely caused by a rapidly spreading fire in the cockpit, possibly fueled by a leak from the First Officer's oxygen mask, rather than a deliberate explosion as previously suggested by Egyptian investigators. The coroner dismissed the Egyptian report's claim of an explosive device, siding with a British aviation expert and the French BEA, who found no evidence consistent with a bomb-triggered accident despite traces of explosives being detected on some wreckage. The fire rendered the aircraft uncontrollable, leading to the deaths of all 66 people on board, including geologist Richard Osman. The inquest was delayed for years to ensure all evidence was considered, and the findings provide closure for the victims' families after years of uncertainty and conflicting international reports.