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Egyptian ambulances line up at Kabret military air base by the Suez Canal, after victims of a Russian airliner that crashed in the Sinai Peninsula were brought to the base before being transported to a morgue. -AFP
A man reacts next to Russian Emergencies Ministry members at Pulkovo airport in St. Petersburg, Russia, October 31, 2015. A Russian airliner carrying 224 passengers and crew crashed in Egypt's Sinai peninsula on Saturday─Reuters
CAIRO: A Russian airliner carrying 224 passengers and crew crashed in Egypt's Sinai peninsula on Saturday, the Egyptian civil aviation authority said.
A statement from Egyptian prime minister's office said Sherif Ismail had formed a cabinet level crisis committee to deal with the crash.
Egyptian Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Hossam Kemal said it was “too soon to determine the cause” of the passenger plane crash, a cabinet statement quoted him as saying on Saturday.
The prime minister went to the scene of the crash alongside the tourism and health ministers and offered his condolences to the Russian ambassador, the statement said.
Russia's RIA news agency citing a Russian aviation authority source had reported that the passenger jet traveling from the Egyptian resort Sharm el-Sheikh to the Russian city of St Petersburg disappeared from radar screens in airspace.
The source said the aircraft was an Airbus A-321 jet, had 224 passengers and crew on board, and was operated by Russian airline Kogalymavia.
Women react as they walk at Pulkovo airport in St. Petersburg, Russia after the news of deadly crash─ Reuters
Wreckage discovered
Search and rescue teams found the site of the crashed Russian passenger plane in the Hassana area, south of Arish, Sinai.
A security officer at the scene told Reuters by telephone that search and rescue teams heard voices in a section of the plane.
“I now see a tragic scene. A lot of dead on the ground and many who died whilst strapped to their seats,” the officer, who requested anonymity, said.
Egyptian ambulances carrying the corpses of Russian victims of a Russian passenger plane crash in the Sinai Peninsula, off load the bodies into a military aircraft at Kabret military air base. -AFP
“The plane split into two, a small part on the tail end that burned and a larger part that crashed into a rock. We have extracted at least 100 bodies and the rest are still inside.” said the officer.
Security sources confirmed that there were no indications that the passenger plane was shot down,
The fears of a possible terrorist attack arose as Egypt's North Sinai is home to a two-year-old Islamist insurgency and militants affiliated to Islamic State have killed hundreds of soldiers and police.
Egypt's air accident chief earlier said that the missing passenger plane on its way to Russia had safely left Egyptian airspace and made contact with Turkish air traffic control.
"The ... Russian airline had told us that the Russian plane we lost contact with is safe and that it has contacted Turkish air traffic control and is passing through Turkish skies now," Ayman al-Muqaddam, the head of the central air traffic accident authority in Egypt, said in a statement.
Putin Declares National Day of Mourning on November 1
Russian President Vladimir Putin expresses his deepest condolences to the families of victims of the crash of a Russian airliner in Egypt and declared November 1, Sunday, as a National Day of Mourning.
Putin also ordered government ministries to offer immediate assistance to relatives of those killed.
People gather at the airline information desk at of Russian airline Kogalymavia’s desk at Pulkovo airport in St.Petersburg─ Reuters
Islamic State claims responsibility
A militant group affiliated to the self-styled Islamic State (IS) in Egypt, said in a statement carried by the Aamaq website, which acts as a semi-official news agency for IS, that it had brought down the plane “in response to Russian airstrikes that killed hundreds of Muslims on Syrian land”.
Russia's Transport Minister told Interfax news agency said the Islamic State claim “can't be considered accurate”.
An Egyptian soldier stands guard as emergency workers unload bodies of victims from the crash of a Russian aircraft over the Sinai peninsula. -AP
IS websites have in the past have claimed responsibility for actions that have not been conclusively attributed to them.
Russia opens criminal case
Russia's top Investigative Committee has launched a criminal case against airline Kogalymavia after the crash.
RIA news agency reported that the Investigative Committee's case had been brought under an article regulating “violation of rules of flights and preparations for them”.
Interfax reported committee spokesman Vladimir Markin as saying that the case had been brought under Article 263 of the Criminal Code: “Violation of the safety rules for movement and exploitation of air, sea or internal water transport”.
Markin also said that a group of investigators and crime experts had been formed and would head to Egypt.
“They will operate in agreement with the competent organs and together with the representatives of the Republic of Egypt in accordance with the norms of national and international law,” Markin said, according to Interfax.
Egyptian paramedics load the corpses of Russian victims of a Russian passenger plane crash in the Sinai Peninsula, into a military aircraft at Kabret military air base. -AFP
The airline Kogalymavia however said that it saw no grounds to blame human error for the crash of the airliner.
RIA and Interfax news agencies of Russia cited an airline spokeswoman saying that the pilot had 12,000 hours flying experience. She also said that the plane had been fully serviced
A321 is a 185-seat medium-haul jet in service since 1994, with over 1,100 in operation worldwide. It is a highly automated aircraft relying on computers to help pilots stay within safe flying limits.
Saturday's crash is the second fatal accident involving this variant of the A320 jetliner family, according to data from the Flight Safety Foundation.
An authoritative Sweden-based aviation tracking service said the aircraft, having made an apparently smooth take off, lurched into a rapid descent shortly after approaching cruising altitude.
Comments (53)
Egyptian prime minister office just confirmed via official twitter account that the plan has crashed near central Sinai
The latest report states that it has crashed in Sinai(NDTV)
I wish and pray for the safety of the aircraft and all its passenger. God please listen to my prayers. Aameen!
Sad demise of the passengers, RIP.
Russia has to do more with airline safety.
We stand shoulder to shoulder with our close friend Russia in this hour of deep grief and uncertainty.
So sad
Tragic
It's very sad to here that, may Almighty give them courage to bear this phase of woe.
What is the correct position? Egypt's air accident earlier said that the plane had safely left Egyptian airspace and made contact with Turkish air traffic control and, the Russian airline stated that the plane is safe and has contacted Turkish air traffic control and is passing through Turkish skies now.
updated news: Plane is safe in Turkey
This is so sad. There were women and children aboard that plane. I'm literally crying after seeing this news. There was time when airplane travel was fun but nowadays it's scary. RIP.
old American technique,
Rip Russia should do proper investigation and see if there is some western conspiracy involved behind this plane crash.
The Dutch Revenge
@Sultan Alvi, Toronto, Canada Did your read the news completely? It stated that the plane was completely destroyed and yet your are praying for safety of the aircraft.
so sad poor passengers and the crew May God bless all
Oh my God!Another crash,i start fearing air travelling now.
Sad news. However, one might hope that those powers against Russia are not involved in this, otherwise hell would break lose sooner then expected.
Air travel has become extremely precarious especially in war times we are in.
Very shocking! My condolence with the bereaved families.
This is one tragic incident, where both people of India and Pakistan stand togather with People of Russia.
I really hope no country or organization is behind this,
Sorry for travelers and their families, may God give them His peace and comfort
Remember MH70 ?
ISIS now claims they have downed the plane.
That aircraft has a capacity of 185, plus 10 crew equals 195. Why did they have 224 people aboard ? Was the plane overloaded ? with 29 people and their luggage.
Most probably it May be a sabotage.
Aunt Russia. We offer sincere condolences. May god give you strength to handle this terrible and unfortunate situation.
I just hope, that some fanatic group or country from the middle east is not involved in it, because of Russian involvement in Syria. I hope, its really just a crash. An accident.
I got an update from toi that islamic state downed the russian plane. if it is become true, world should stand united and finish off those
@ABU MOHAMMED: Old American Technique, yes spot on.
@AKRAM Dutch revenge. Not at all. There are only few organizations in the world that dirty their hands with shooting civilians willfully and the world knows.
This is a clear act of terrorism where innocent civilians are killed.
Must be ISIS!
@Masood Yes this is a justifief and serious question. The Airline should be put to task if no satisfactory reply is given.
@Masood could be a configuration without first or business class in which case you can have extra seats in economy class. Since they fly to tourist destination like sharm el sheikh this could be a possibility.
@akram we should avoid point scoring as in both cases civilians are killed.
So sad. Condolences to the families whose loved ones perished.
It sad what happen international aviation authorities should jointly find out the cause of such incidents and form a strategy for future safety It is alarming internationally regardless of any race Human safety shall be primary focus
Proxy wars new dimension shooting commercial planes killing Common People. Equaling scores, Peace!
Feel very sad for the passengers and their families who lost their lives in a very unfortunate accident. May their souls rest in Peace.
Now ISIS will experience the full fury of Russian Bear. That's for sure.
ISSI do not have that capability to shoot a moving plane at that altitude.
RIP
Who will go in investigating for the supply of such arms and ammunition to ISIS? Off course no one !!!!
Does anyone believe ISIS is honest? Who is foolish enough to believe what they claim about shooting this plan down? No one, I hope.
@Rahul Anyone with a phone and motive can claim responsibility. You have to look at the facts. Plane was at cruising altitude before crashing which is 31000 feet or above. If ISIS can shoot down planes at cruising altitude, which most likely they cant, then everyone should worry. I think this claim is so Russians are given an excuse to bomb ISIS.
@Abu Mohammed .... Can you elaborate?
@Ali they will eliminate Isis regardless .
@Abu Mohammed please explain.
Please read before you comment!! It says IS had claimed responsibility!!!
UN should investigate the passenger manifest, this looks like targeted killing of one passenger resulting in bringing down the whole plane.
Condolences to Family, Engine failure That's why I am in favour of four engine airliners ,Russian used to produce them ,not anymore
@Rabbani maria Yeah allegedly they did, but they are being exploiting the confusion by lying, it is not credible claim. The question is who exactly is feeding the ISIS's crocodile
Deepest condolence for relatives who lost their loved ones