EgyptAir flight MS804: Tribute to victim Richard Osman

Richard Osman, one of the passengers on Flight MS804, had lived in Jersey for the past two years

A Jersey resident who died on the crashed EgyptAir flight was a "great guy", a friend has said.

Stephen Ellyatt had known geologist Richard Osman for the past two years after renting a house to him.

He saw Mr Osman days before the crash and knew he could have been on the Paris to Cairo flight.

"You hear of these tragedies but until it's someone very close to you, you just don't know how much it hurts," Mr Ellyatt said.

Mr Osman, 40, was on flight MS804 with 66 passengers and crew when it vanished early on Thursday.

The Egyptian military has released images of items found during the search in the Mediterranean Sea.

Mr Osman's wife Aureilie, 36, gave birth to their second daughter Olympe three weeks ago.

Mr Ellyatt had met Mr Osman for a night out two days before the crash.

Mr Osman was on flight MS804 with 66 passengers and crew when it vanished early on Thursday

"I knew his schedule and realised he could have been on that flight so I texted him to see if he was OK and where he was," he said.

"I never got any response so I texted Aureilie in Paris where she is staying with her parents and she said he was on the plane, which realised my fears."

He said the couple "loved Jersey".

"It's just awful. I am so sad for the family and the two children.

"It's heartbreaking that he was chosen to die in that way," Mr Ellyatt said.

Investigators have confirmed smoke was detected in various parts of the cabin three minutes before the plane disappeared, but say the cause of the crash is still not known.