Paris - France has prepared to send a passenger jet to French Guyana for the eventuality of a breakthrough in the Colombian hostages drama and possible release of Ingrid Betancourt, reports said Sunday in Paris.

The Sunday paper Journal du Dimanche cited Elysee Palace sources as saying that a Falcon 900 executive jet was standing ready at an air base in Cayenne.

"We have no information about whether a solution is imminent or not, but we want to make sure of every possibility," an Elysee Palace spokesman told the paper.

Betancourt, 46, has been held hostage by rebels of the left-wing Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) for six years, with recent reports saying her physical condition was "alarming" and that she no longer wanted to live.

Last week, the FARC said it was prepared to release Betancourt and other hostages in return for Colombia freeing freeing some of the group's members now being held in prison.

Betancourt also holds French citizenship. French President Nicolas Sarkozy has issued several appeals seeking her release by FARC.

On Friday, the Colombian government reiterated that it was ready for a swap to gain her freedom. But there was no indication that President Alvaro Uribe was prepared to create a demilitarized zone in southern Colombia as demanded by the rebels.

This has for years been the stumbling block over which an exchange has failed although both sides insist that they are ready to swap.

Presidential candidate Betancourt, 46, was abducted in 2002 by FARC. Her condition is said to have rapidly deteriorated. Official reports say she is suffering from hepatitis B and "black fever," a painful disease transmitted by sand flies that results in skin ulcers. (dpa)