French Investigate Turbulent Rio-Paris Flight

PARIS -- French aviation investigators are examining an emergency distress call last month from an Air France plane flying from Rio de Janeiro to Paris.

Accident investigation agency BEA is examining the case of flight AF 445 on November 29 -- the same route, aircraft and carrier that crashed in June, killing all 228 people aboard.

French newspaper Le Figaro reported Thursday that heavy turbulence and a distress call on flight 445 took place 10 nautical miles from the area where the ill-fated jet went down.

The BEA said its probe of the incident last month could help explain why the June flight crashed. Air France has said heavy turbulence disrupted flight 445.