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Russian plane 'completely destroyed' in Egypt crash Russian plane 'completely destroyed' in Egypt crash
(35 minutes later)
A Russian plane carrying more than 200 passengers from the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh has crashed in central Sinai with all on board feared dead.A Russian plane carrying more than 200 passengers from the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh has crashed in central Sinai with all on board feared dead.
A security officer from the search and rescue team dispatched to the scene said the Russian airline Kogalymavia, known as Metrojet, was “completely destroyed with all on board likely to have died”. The jet, operated by the Russian company Kogalymavia and branded as Metrojet, was “completely destroyed with all on board likely to have died”, a security officer from the search and rescue team said.
The plane was destined for St Petersburg, with 217 passengers - including seven children - and an additional seven crew onboard. Destined for St Petersburg, the flight was carrying 224 people, including 17 children and seven crew members. Most of those onboard were Russian, sources in Moscow said.
Related: Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt’s Sinai - liveRelated: Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt’s Sinai - live
The crash site was found on Saturday morning in southern Arish, a mountainous area of central Sinai, but poor weather conditions are making it difficult for rescue crews to get to the scene, the security officer said. The crash site was found on Saturday morning in southern Arish, a mountainous area of central Sinai, but poor weather conditions were making it difficult for rescue crews to reach the scene, the security officer said.
There were no indications the plane was shot down, Egyptian security sources told Reuters. Northern Sinai is home to groups of Islamist militants, many affiliated to Islamic State. Northern Sinai is home to groups of Islamist militants, many affiliated to Islamic State, but there were no indications the plane was shot down, Egyptian security sources told Reuters.
A statement from the prime minister’s office said Sherif Ismail had formed a cabinet-level crisis committee to deal with the crash. A statement from the Egyptian prime minister’s office said Sherif Ismail had formed a cabinet-level crisis committee to deal with the crash, which was believed to have been caused by a mechanical failure.
The plane lost contact 23 minutes into the flight, according to the plane tracker website Flight Radar. Data from Flight Radar showed the aircraft had made a steep descent at a rate of 6,000 feet per minute shortly before signal was lost. The plane, which had a tail number of EI-ETJ, lost contact 23 minutes after takeoff while flying at more than 30,000 ft above sea level, according to the plane tracker website Flight Radar. It had begun to make a steep descent at a rate of 6,000 feet per minute shortly before communications were lost.
Airspace over Sinai Peninsula when #7K9268 disappeared from Flightradar24 at 04:13 UTC pic.twitter.com/H7kJk9qL6rAirspace over Sinai Peninsula when #7K9268 disappeared from Flightradar24 at 04:13 UTC pic.twitter.com/H7kJk9qL6r
Russia’s aviation authority, Rosaviatsiya, said the flight had left at 03:51 GMT and was due into St Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport at 12:10, it told TASS news agency. The plane had failed to make scheduled contact with Cyprus air traffic control and disappeared from the radar. Russia’s aviation authority, Rosaviatsiya, said flight 7K9268 had left at 03:51 GMT and was due into St Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport at 12:10, it told TASS news agency. The plane had failed to make scheduled contact with Cyprus air traffic control and disappeared from the radar.
The Rosaviatsiya spokesman Sergey Izvolsky said: “According to preliminary reports, the Airbus A320 belonging to Kagalymavia, en route from Sharm el-Sheikh to St Petersburg has taken off at 6.51am Moscow time.The Rosaviatsiya spokesman Sergey Izvolsky said: “According to preliminary reports, the Airbus A320 belonging to Kagalymavia, en route from Sharm el-Sheikh to St Petersburg has taken off at 6.51am Moscow time.
“At 7.14am it failed to contact Larnaca [in Cyprus] and disappeared from radars. The plane carried 212 passengers and seven crew members.”“At 7.14am it failed to contact Larnaca [in Cyprus] and disappeared from radars. The plane carried 212 passengers and seven crew members.”
The Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh is a popular destination for Russian tourists.The Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh is a popular destination for Russian tourists.