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| Sinai plane crash terror link is propaganda, says Egypt president | Sinai plane crash terror link is propaganda, says Egypt president |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Egypt’s president has dismissed as propaganda claims that terrorism was involved in the Russian plane crash in the Sinai desert, as the US banned its diplomatic staff from travelling to the area. | |
| Egyptian officials were due to begin analysing the Metrojet’s recovered flight recorders later on Tuesday, after a series of contradictory statements about what caused Saturday’s crash, killing all 224 people on board. | Egyptian officials were due to begin analysing the Metrojet’s recovered flight recorders later on Tuesday, after a series of contradictory statements about what caused Saturday’s crash, killing all 224 people on board. |
| Related: Why did Russian plane break up in the air over the Sinai desert? | Related: Why did Russian plane break up in the air over the Sinai desert? |
| James Clapper, the US director of national intelligence said a terrorist attack could not be ruled out as a possible cause, but conceded there was “no direct evidence” that the Airbus A321 was brought down by Islamic State militants. The US embassy in Cairo has instructed its staff not to travel anywhere in the Sinai peninsula as a precautionary measure until the outcome of the investigation is known. | James Clapper, the US director of national intelligence said a terrorist attack could not be ruled out as a possible cause, but conceded there was “no direct evidence” that the Airbus A321 was brought down by Islamic State militants. The US embassy in Cairo has instructed its staff not to travel anywhere in the Sinai peninsula as a precautionary measure until the outcome of the investigation is known. |
| On Sunday a militant group affiliated to Isis in Egypt claimed responsibility for bringing down the plane “in response to Russian airstrikes that killed hundreds of Muslims on Syrian land”. | On Sunday a militant group affiliated to Isis in Egypt claimed responsibility for bringing down the plane “in response to Russian airstrikes that killed hundreds of Muslims on Syrian land”. |
| Speaking to the BBC on Tuesday, President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi insisted Sinai was safe despite the presence of Isis-affiliated militants in the area. | Speaking to the BBC on Tuesday, President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi insisted Sinai was safe despite the presence of Isis-affiliated militants in the area. |
| “When there is propaganda that it crashed because of Isis, this is one way to damage the stability and security of Egypt and the image of Egypt,” he said. “Believe me, the situation in Sinai – especially in this limited area – is under our full control.” | “When there is propaganda that it crashed because of Isis, this is one way to damage the stability and security of Egypt and the image of Egypt,” he said. “Believe me, the situation in Sinai – especially in this limited area – is under our full control.” |
| Late on Monday, the US news outlets CBS and NBC cited defence sources saying an American infrared satellite had detected a heat flash over Sinai at the time of the incident, which could indicate a bomb or some other device may have exploded. | Late on Monday, the US news outlets CBS and NBC cited defence sources saying an American infrared satellite had detected a heat flash over Sinai at the time of the incident, which could indicate a bomb or some other device may have exploded. |
| A Russian government commission overseeing the investigation was due to meet on Tuesday. Technical or mechanical failure, the firing of a missile or an onboard explosion would all be investigated as possible causes. | A Russian government commission overseeing the investigation was due to meet on Tuesday. Technical or mechanical failure, the firing of a missile or an onboard explosion would all be investigated as possible causes. |
| Russian officials have said the plane, carrying holidaymakers from Sharm el-Sheikh to St Petersburg, probably broke up in midair but it was too early to say what caused it. Igor Albin, the deputy governor of St Petersburg, said the first nine victims have been identified. | Russian officials have said the plane, carrying holidaymakers from Sharm el-Sheikh to St Petersburg, probably broke up in midair but it was too early to say what caused it. Igor Albin, the deputy governor of St Petersburg, said the first nine victims have been identified. |
| Britain’s Foreign Office has updated its travel advice to Egypt to take note of the crash. It continues to advise against all but essential travel to Sinai with the exception of Sharm el-Sheikh – one of the most popular winter destinations for British tourists. | Britain’s Foreign Office has updated its travel advice to Egypt to take note of the crash. It continues to advise against all but essential travel to Sinai with the exception of Sharm el-Sheikh – one of the most popular winter destinations for British tourists. |
| Allegations over possible factors in the crash, including the airworthiness of the aircraft and speculation that it was downed deliberately, have been swirling since Saturday, with sources in Egypt making claims that have been subsequently denied. | Allegations over possible factors in the crash, including the airworthiness of the aircraft and speculation that it was downed deliberately, have been swirling since Saturday, with sources in Egypt making claims that have been subsequently denied. |
| The Irish Aviation Authority, where the plane was registered, said it had conducted an annual review of the aircraft certifications in April/May 2015 and found “all certifications were satisfactory at that point in time”. | The Irish Aviation Authority, where the plane was registered, said it had conducted an annual review of the aircraft certifications in April/May 2015 and found “all certifications were satisfactory at that point in time”. |
| Concerns about the airworthiness of the plane heightened after it emerged that Metrojet had not paid its employees for at least two months. Representatives ofKogalymavia, which owns the airline, insisted there were no financial problems that could have influenced safety. | Concerns about the airworthiness of the plane heightened after it emerged that Metrojet had not paid its employees for at least two months. Representatives ofKogalymavia, which owns the airline, insisted there were no financial problems that could have influenced safety. |
| Alexander Smirnov, the deputy general director of Metrojet, said on Monday: “We rule out a technical fault of the plane or a pilot error. The only explainable cause is physical impact on the aircraft.” | Alexander Smirnov, the deputy general director of Metrojet, said on Monday: “We rule out a technical fault of the plane or a pilot error. The only explainable cause is physical impact on the aircraft.” |
| Two of the few known facts regarding the disaster are the plane’s speed and altitude before the crash. According to Smirnov – and largely confirmed by a commercial air tracking service – the plane slowed by 186mph and dropped about 5,000ft in altitude a minute before it crashed, having just reached its cruising altitude of around 32,000ft. | Two of the few known facts regarding the disaster are the plane’s speed and altitude before the crash. According to Smirnov – and largely confirmed by a commercial air tracking service – the plane slowed by 186mph and dropped about 5,000ft in altitude a minute before it crashed, having just reached its cruising altitude of around 32,000ft. |
| “This isn’t flying, it’s falling. Apparently, the plane sustained damage before this [and] that became the reason for the fall,” Smirnov said. | “This isn’t flying, it’s falling. Apparently, the plane sustained damage before this [and] that became the reason for the fall,” Smirnov said. |
| Meanwhile, the Russian state carrier Aeroflot has replaced an Airbus A321 aircraft on its Moscow-St Petersburg route due to technical issues. | Meanwhile, the Russian state carrier Aeroflot has replaced an Airbus A321 aircraft on its Moscow-St Petersburg route due to technical issues. |
| A source told the Tass news agency that the plane, the same model as the one that crashed in Sinai, had engine problems but had not left the ground. | A source told the Tass news agency that the plane, the same model as the one that crashed in Sinai, had engine problems but had not left the ground. |