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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 most of those on board feared dead.
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 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.
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. But officers at the scene said the voices of trapped passengers could be heard from a section of the crashed plane. Destined for St Petersburg, it was carrying 224 people, including 17 children and seven crew members.
“There is a section of the plane with passengers inside that the rescue team is still trying to enter and we hope to find survivors, especially after hearing pained voices of people inside,” an anonymous officer told Reuters.
Egypt’s health ministry had dispatched 45 ambulances to the scene to “evacuate the dead and wounded” which could indicate the possibility of survivors, though this remains unconfirmed. At least five of the children on board are feared dead.
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 were making it difficult for rescue crews to reach 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 some rescue crews to reach the scene, the security officer said.
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.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 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.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, 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.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 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.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. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his deepest condolences to the families of victims of the crash of a Russian airliner in Egypt, Russian news agencies reported. Putin also ordered government ministries to offer immediate assistance to relatives of those killed.
“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.