Earlier analysis of the plane's flight data recorder showed there had been smoke in the lavatory and avionics bay, while recovered wreckage from the jet's front section showed signs of high temperature damage and soot.

Initial audio extracted from the flight deck voice recorder had indicated an attempt to put out a fire on the jet before it crashed, committee sources had told Reuters.

The committee said on Saturday it was still "too early to determine the reason or the place where that fire occurred."

It added that the John Lethbridge vessel, belonging to Mauritius-based Deep Ocean Search, had completed its search for human remains, which will now be transferred to Cairo for DNA analysis.