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| Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt’s Sinai - latest | Russian passenger plane crashes in Egypt’s Sinai - latest |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 10.50am GMT10:50 | |
| A passenger at Saint Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport, has been speaking to AFP. Here’s their report. | |
| “I am meeting my parents,” said 25-year-old Ella Smirnova, a tall young woman seemingly in shock. | |
| “I spoke to them last on the phone when they were already on the plane, and then I heard the news.” | |
| “I will keep hoping until the end that they are alive, but perhaps I will never see them again.” | |
| 10.49am GMT10:49 | |
| Egyptian state news agency MENA news agency reports the “casualties” are being transferred to nearby hospitals. | |
| It gives no indication of the condition of the casualties, and we still have no official word that there are survivors of the crash. | |
| 10.41am GMT10:41 | |
| Friends and families of those on board the plane have been speaking to Russian media. | |
| Olga Ofitserova, whose friend Nadya Laisheva was reportedly on board, told Gazeta.ru: “We’re all in shock. She’s so young.” | |
| 10.36am GMT10:36 | |
| Distraught relatives are arriving at St Petersberg international airport looking for news of the flight, and are reportedly being taken by bus to a crisis centre. | |
| 10.18am GMT10:18 | 10.18am GMT10:18 |
| The Guardian’s Alec Luhn writes from Moscow: | The Guardian’s Alec Luhn writes from Moscow: |
| Russian president Vladimir Putin expressed his deepest condolences to the relatives of those who died on the flight and ordered PM Dmitry Medvedev to create a special commission in connection with the crash, the Kremlin press service said. | Russian president Vladimir Putin expressed his deepest condolences to the relatives of those who died on the flight and ordered PM Dmitry Medvedev to create a special commission in connection with the crash, the Kremlin press service said. |
| He also ordered the head of the emergencies ministry Vladimir Puchkov to send his service’s planes to work at the crash site as soon as possible. Medvedev ordered transport ministry head Maxim Sokolov to fly to Cairo. | He also ordered the head of the emergencies ministry Vladimir Puchkov to send his service’s planes to work at the crash site as soon as possible. Medvedev ordered transport ministry head Maxim Sokolov to fly to Cairo. |
| Children’s ombudsman Pavel Astakhov wrote on Instagram that 17 children were on the flight, saying his “worst fears” are confirmed. | Children’s ombudsman Pavel Astakhov wrote on Instagram that 17 children were on the flight, saying his “worst fears” are confirmed. |
| State news agency TASS later reported that 17 children had been on board aged 2 to 17. | State news agency TASS later reported that 17 children had been on board aged 2 to 17. |
| The emergencies ministry has opened a hotline for relatives of victims and sent psychologists to St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport, where the plane had been headed, to provide help to relatives and others who had gathered there. | The emergencies ministry has opened a hotline for relatives of victims and sent psychologists to St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport, where the plane had been headed, to provide help to relatives and others who had gathered there. |
| The Russian holiday tour operator Brisco had booked the flight, although clients of other tour companies had also been on board, state tourism agency spokeswoman Irina Tyurina told news agency Interfax. | The Russian holiday tour operator Brisco had booked the flight, although clients of other tour companies had also been on board, state tourism agency spokeswoman Irina Tyurina told news agency Interfax. |
| Many Russians prefer all-inclusive package tours in which lodging, food and flights are all organised by the tour operator. | Many Russians prefer all-inclusive package tours in which lodging, food and flights are all organised by the tour operator. |
| Updated at 10.22am GMT | Updated at 10.22am GMT |
| 10.10am GMT10:10 | 10.10am GMT10:10 |
| Relatives have begun arriving at Pulkovo airport in St Petersburg and are being directed to a crisis centre, according to local reporters. | Relatives have begun arriving at Pulkovo airport in St Petersburg and are being directed to a crisis centre, according to local reporters. |
| Relatives that waited for arriving #7K9268 in Pulkovo are loading into buses https://t.co/VNZEtrd75G pic.twitter.com/nOYwc8IxAr via @Vnechay | Relatives that waited for arriving #7K9268 in Pulkovo are loading into buses https://t.co/VNZEtrd75G pic.twitter.com/nOYwc8IxAr via @Vnechay |
| Valery Nechay, a reporter for Moscow radio, said media have been taken to a separate section of the airport. | Valery Nechay, a reporter for Moscow radio, said media have been taken to a separate section of the airport. |
| Приготовились к заявлению штаба pic.twitter.com/Y152mgqPNZ | Приготовились к заявлению штаба pic.twitter.com/Y152mgqPNZ |
| Russia’s civil air agency is expected to have a news conference shortly at a hotel adjacent to the airport. | Russia’s civil air agency is expected to have a news conference shortly at a hotel adjacent to the airport. |
| Updated at 10.15am GMT | Updated at 10.15am GMT |
| 10.04am GMT10:04 | 10.04am GMT10:04 |
| 'Voices' heard inside section of aircraft, official says | 'Voices' heard inside section of aircraft, official says |
| An Egyptian security officer has told Reuters he could hear the voices of trapped passengers from a section of the crashed Russian plane. The plane reportedly split into two parts. | An Egyptian security officer has told Reuters he could hear the voices of trapped passengers from a section of the crashed Russian plane. The plane reportedly split into two parts. |
| “There is another 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,” the anonymous officer told the news agency. | “There is another 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,” the anonymous officer told the news agency. |
| Egypt’s health ministry has dispatched 45 ambulances to the scene to “evacuate the dead and wounded” which could indicate possible survivors, though this remains unconfirmed. | Egypt’s health ministry has dispatched 45 ambulances to the scene to “evacuate the dead and wounded” which could indicate possible survivors, though this remains unconfirmed. |
| 9.53am GMT09:53 | 9.53am GMT09:53 |
| The Israeli military has been assisting Egypt in the aerial search for the plane, and offered further assistance to its neighbouring, according to Israeli Defence Force spokesman Peter Lerner. | The Israeli military has been assisting Egypt in the aerial search for the plane, and offered further assistance to its neighbouring, according to Israeli Defence Force spokesman Peter Lerner. |
| Since this am the #IDF assisted with arial surveillance in the efforts to locate Russian airplane #7K9628 that lost contact over Sinai . | Since this am the #IDF assisted with arial surveillance in the efforts to locate Russian airplane #7K9628 that lost contact over Sinai . |
| The IDF has offered continued assistance to both #Russia and #Egypt if required. #7K9628 | The IDF has offered continued assistance to both #Russia and #Egypt if required. #7K9628 |
| Israel’s border with neighbouring Egypt runs along the Sinai. The two countries signed a peace accord in 1979. | |
| Updated at 10.32am GMT | |
| 9.45am GMT09:45 | 9.45am GMT09:45 |
| The Guardian’s Alec Luhn writes from Moscow: | The Guardian’s Alec Luhn writes from Moscow: |
| The Russian embassy in Egypt has said all those on board were Russians, Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper reported. | The Russian embassy in Egypt has said all those on board were Russians, Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper reported. |
| The airplane was put into service 18 years ago. Aging planes have been involved in previous Russian air tragedies, such as a 2011 crash in Petrozavodsk that killed 47. | The airplane was put into service 18 years ago. Aging planes have been involved in previous Russian air tragedies, such as a 2011 crash in Petrozavodsk that killed 47. |
| Smaller Russian carriers often buy or lease older planes. | Smaller Russian carriers often buy or lease older planes. |
| The Russian authorities have been attempting to reduce the number of small air carriers to improve safety in recent years. | The Russian authorities have been attempting to reduce the number of small air carriers to improve safety in recent years. |
| Russia had the most air crash casualties of any country in 2011 due to several high-profile crashes, including one that killed a large part of the Yaroslavl Lokomotiv hockey team. | Russia had the most air crash casualties of any country in 2011 due to several high-profile crashes, including one that killed a large part of the Yaroslavl Lokomotiv hockey team. |
| Updated at 10.19am GMT | Updated at 10.19am GMT |
| 9.44am GMT09:44 | 9.44am GMT09:44 |
| Egyptian media are reporting that the Russian plane crashed due to “technical failure”. | Egyptian media are reporting that the Russian plane crashed due to “technical failure”. |
| Ayman Al-Mokadem, the Egyptian pilot appointed to invetigate the cause of the crash, told Ahram Online that the Metrojet pilot had made contact with aviation authorities and asked to land at the nearest airport. | Ayman Al-Mokadem, the Egyptian pilot appointed to invetigate the cause of the crash, told Ahram Online that the Metrojet pilot had made contact with aviation authorities and asked to land at the nearest airport. |
| He speculated that the plane had been attempting an emergency landing at Al-Arish’s airport in North Sinai. | He speculated that the plane had been attempting an emergency landing at Al-Arish’s airport in North Sinai. |
| Egyptian authorities have been very quick to stress that terrorism is not the cause of the crash, but we have yet to get independent confirmation that technical failure was behind the incident. | Egyptian authorities have been very quick to stress that terrorism is not the cause of the crash, but we have yet to get independent confirmation that technical failure was behind the incident. |
| Updated at 9.44am GMT | Updated at 9.44am GMT |
| 9.36am GMT09:36 | 9.36am GMT09:36 |
| There were several other planes in the airspace in Sinai peninsula, according to Flight Radar. | There were several other planes in the airspace in Sinai peninsula, according to Flight Radar. |
| Security officials have been telling local media that they do not believe there is any indication that the plane was shot down by Islamist militants, whom the state has been battling in central Sinai for several years. | Security officials have been telling local media that they do not believe there is any indication that the plane was shot down by Islamist militants, whom the state has been battling in central Sinai for several years. |
| Airspace over Sinai Peninsula when #7K9268 disappeared from Flightradar24 at 04:13 UTC pic.twitter.com/H7kJk9qL6r | Airspace over Sinai Peninsula when #7K9268 disappeared from Flightradar24 at 04:13 UTC pic.twitter.com/H7kJk9qL6r |
| 9.32am GMT09:32 | 9.32am GMT09:32 |
| This Metrojet plane is believed to be the one which has crashed in Sinai - the Airbus A321 with a tail number of EI-ETJ. | This Metrojet plane is believed to be the one which has crashed in Sinai - the Airbus A321 with a tail number of EI-ETJ. |
| The picture shows the plane on the airstrip of Domodedovo International Airport on October 20th - so it’s not from today’s incident. | The picture shows the plane on the airstrip of Domodedovo International Airport on October 20th - so it’s not from today’s incident. |
| Updated at 9.33am GMT | Updated at 9.33am GMT |
| 9.27am GMT09:27 | 9.27am GMT09:27 |
| Egyptian Civil Aviation Ministry confirms plane has crashed and has been located | Egyptian Civil Aviation Ministry confirms plane has crashed and has been located |
| “Military planes have discovered the wreckage of the plane,” a statement said, confirming it was located in the mountainous Hassana area, south of Arish, in central Sinai. | “Military planes have discovered the wreckage of the plane,” a statement said, confirming it was located in the mountainous Hassana area, south of Arish, in central Sinai. |
| The plane was at an altitude of 31,000 feet when it vanished from radar screens, the ministry said in a statement to Egypt’s MENA news agency. | The plane was at an altitude of 31,000 feet when it vanished from radar screens, the ministry said in a statement to Egypt’s MENA news agency. |
| Egyptian government says 50 ambulances sent to the scene of the air crash in Central Sinai. Bodies will be to a Cairo. | Egyptian government says 50 ambulances sent to the scene of the air crash in Central Sinai. Bodies will be to a Cairo. |
| Updated at 9.28am GMT | Updated at 9.28am GMT |
| 9.13am GMT09:13 | 9.13am GMT09:13 |
| Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has posted on her Facebook wall that the Russian embassy in Egypt is monitoring the situation. | Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has posted on her Facebook wall that the Russian embassy in Egypt is monitoring the situation. |
| “As soon as further information will be received, it would be provided to the media,” she writes. | “As soon as further information will be received, it would be provided to the media,” she writes. |
| Updated at 9.34am GMT | Updated at 9.34am GMT |
| 9.10am GMT09:10 | 9.10am GMT09:10 |
| Russian passenger plane had 17 children on board | Russian passenger plane had 17 children on board |
| Seventeen children were among the passengers on the Russian jet, Russia’s RIA news agency quoted a source in the Russian aviation authority as saying. | Seventeen children were among the passengers on the Russian jet, Russia’s RIA news agency quoted a source in the Russian aviation authority as saying. |
| Also on board were 200 adult passengers and 7 crew members. | Also on board were 200 adult passengers and 7 crew members. |
| 9.08am GMT09:08 | 9.08am GMT09:08 |
| Two flight tracking websites, Plane Finder and Flight Radar, have been looking at the flight data to track the moment of the crash. | Two flight tracking websites, Plane Finder and Flight Radar, have been looking at the flight data to track the moment of the crash. |
| Speed / Alt plotted on graph. Speed (purple) drops off before we lost contact at 04:13:10z #7K9268 pic.twitter.com/yhJSZ1Dclw | Speed / Alt plotted on graph. Speed (purple) drops off before we lost contact at 04:13:10z #7K9268 pic.twitter.com/yhJSZ1Dclw |
| Flight #7K9268 was descending with about 6000 feet per minute just before signal was lost https://t.co/RlcJTpDHwI pic.twitter.com/T4Wq78bhyi | Flight #7K9268 was descending with about 6000 feet per minute just before signal was lost https://t.co/RlcJTpDHwI pic.twitter.com/T4Wq78bhyi |
| 9.07am GMT09:07 | 9.07am GMT09:07 |
| Russian airliner crashes in Egypt with more than 200 on board | Russian airliner crashes in Egypt with more than 200 on board |
| Good morning, we’re following the latest developments after a Russian passenger plane crashed in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula. | Good morning, we’re following the latest developments after a Russian passenger plane crashed in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula. |
| Here are the facts we have so far: | Here are the facts we have so far: |
| Updated at 9.33am GMT | Updated at 9.33am GMT |