Presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has claimed that the missing EgyptAir MS804 plane was blown out of the sky. The controversial candidate was speaking at a fundraiser in New Jersey on 19 May.

He said: What just happened about 12 hours ago? A plane got blown out of the sky. And if anybody thinks it wasnt blown out of the sky, youre 100% wrong. OK. Youre 100% wrong.

Trump was making the comments after Democrat presidential candidate Hilary Clinton criticised the New York moguls response to the incident. Trump had previously tweeted: Looks like yet another terrorist attack. Airplane departed from Paris. When will we get tough, smart and vigilant? Great hate and sickness!

The Airbus disappeared while flying from Paris to Cairo on 19 May, with 66 people on board, including Briton Richard Osman. Reports that debris from the plane had been found near Greece have now been retracted by the airline.

French President Francois Hollande has claimed that the plane came down and is lost. He, along with other officials from France, Egypt and the US, have not ruled out any causes for the crash, including mechanical failure, terrorism or deliberate act by the pilot or crew.