A330-200: Well-designed and well-equipped?

An Air France Airbus A330-200 went missing on Sunday over the Atlantic Ocean and all 228 people on board were feared dead.

Some basic facts about the aircraft:

• The Airbus A330-200 that came into service in 1995, is the newest member of the European aircraft manufacturer's twinjet family.
  
• With a range of 12,500 km (6,750 nautical miles) and the capacity to carry 253 passengers, the A330-200 is extremely well-regarded as a medium to long-range airliner.
  
• There are 600 currently in service with 82 airlines, including Air France, worldwide.
  
• Airbus has a further 300 orders for the aircraft.
  
• According to aviation experts, the A330-200 is a reliable, ultra-modern, state-of-the-art airplane with a faultless safety record.
  
• There has only been one reported incident when an aircraft of this type has crashed. The incident took place in 1994 when it was being flown in test-mode.
  
• These planes are known to be extremely robust and widely used on transatlantic routes and across Asia. Experts describe the aircraft as extremely well-designed and well-equipped.