Definitely weird...
This article from HuffPo states the plane had already been missing for 4 hours before the story broke...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/24/air-algerie-plane-missing_n_5616335.html
Here's a cut-n-paste from a flight safety bulletin I subscribe to with some other relevant info:
Date: Thursday 24 July 2014
Time: 01:55 UTC
Type: McDonnell Douglas MD-83
Operating for: Air Algérie
Leased from: Swiftair
Registration: EC-LTV C/n / msn: 53190/2148
First flight: 1996 Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219
Crew: Fatalities: / Occupants: 6
Passengers: Fatalities: / Occupants: 110
Total: Fatalities: / Occupants: 116
Airplane damage: Missing
Airplane fate: Presumed damaged beyond repair
Location: Between Ouagadougou and Algiers ( Algeria)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature: International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport: Ouagadougou Airport (OUA/DFFD), Burkina Faso Destination airport: Algiers-Houari Boumediene Airport (ALG/DAAG), Algeria Flightnumber: 5017
Narrative:
The Algerian air navigation service reported that they had lost contact with Air Algérie flight 5017, about 50 minutes after departure.
Flight AH5017 departed Ouagadougou Airport (OUA), Burkina Faso on a regular service to Algiers, Algeria.
Airlineroute.net reports that according to Air Algerie's inventory listing, the Ouagadougou service is operated by a leased MD-83. ACARS data show that EC-LTV has been operating flights on behalf of Air Algérie in the past few days and Flightradar24 shows the airplane being scheduled for flight 5017.
www.aviation-safety.net
