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| Sinai plane crash: Britons stranded after flights cancelled | Sinai plane crash: Britons stranded after flights cancelled |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The government is working with airlines to bring thousands of Britons home from the Egyptian resort Sharm el-Sheikh after it suspended flights to the UK. | |
| All flights were grounded after US and UK intelligence suggested a bomb may have caused a Russian jet from Sharm to crash killing all 224 people on board. | All flights were grounded after US and UK intelligence suggested a bomb may have caused a Russian jet from Sharm to crash killing all 224 people on board. |
| UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said security would be tightened and it is hoped flights will resume on Friday. | UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said security would be tightened and it is hoped flights will resume on Friday. |
| The UK government's emergency committee Cobra is to meet later. | The UK government's emergency committee Cobra is to meet later. |
| The decision to suspend flights came as the Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, arrived in the UK for talks with Prime Minister David Cameron. | The decision to suspend flights came as the Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, arrived in the UK for talks with Prime Minister David Cameron. |
| UK-Sharm flights grounded: Live coverage | UK-Sharm flights grounded: Live coverage |
| Four theories about the plane crash | Four theories about the plane crash |
| Mr Hammond said there were 19 flights scheduled for Britain from Sharm on Thursday, but none would depart. | Mr Hammond said there were 19 flights scheduled for Britain from Sharm on Thursday, but none would depart. |
| "But the airlines are telling us that they expect by tomorrow they'll be in a position to start flying those British visitors back to the UK," he said. | "But the airlines are telling us that they expect by tomorrow they'll be in a position to start flying those British visitors back to the UK," he said. |
| "We're spending today with the airlines, with the Egyptian authorities, putting in place short-term emergency measures that will allow us to screen everything going on to those planes, double-check those planes, so that we can be confident that they can fly back safely to the UK." | "We're spending today with the airlines, with the Egyptian authorities, putting in place short-term emergency measures that will allow us to screen everything going on to those planes, double-check those planes, so that we can be confident that they can fly back safely to the UK." |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
| UK aviation experts had been sent to Sharm el-Sheikh to assess the security situation after the Metrojet Airbus 321, bound for St Petersburg, came down in the Sinai desert on Saturday. | UK aviation experts had been sent to Sharm el-Sheikh to assess the security situation after the Metrojet Airbus 321, bound for St Petersburg, came down in the Sinai desert on Saturday. |
| Their findings were considered in a one-hour Cobra meeting on Wednesday evening, chaired by Mr Cameron. | Their findings were considered in a one-hour Cobra meeting on Wednesday evening, chaired by Mr Cameron. |
| Mr Hammond said: "We have concluded there was a significant possibility that that crash was caused by an explosive device on board the aircraft." | Mr Hammond said: "We have concluded there was a significant possibility that that crash was caused by an explosive device on board the aircraft." |
| The UK government was "very reluctantly" advising against all but essential travel through Sharm el-Sheikh airport, he said. | The UK government was "very reluctantly" advising against all but essential travel through Sharm el-Sheikh airport, he said. |
| A number of travel operators responded to the announcement: | A number of travel operators responded to the announcement: |
| Mr Hammond stressed the Foreign Office was not changing the travel advice with regard to the Sharm el-Sheikh resort itself, which it views as safe. | Mr Hammond stressed the Foreign Office was not changing the travel advice with regard to the Sharm el-Sheikh resort itself, which it views as safe. |
| The Association of British Travel Agents estimates at least 9,000 of the 20,000 Britons currently in Sharm are holidaymakers. | The Association of British Travel Agents estimates at least 9,000 of the 20,000 Britons currently in Sharm are holidaymakers. |
| An Abta spokeswoman said holidaymakers in Sharm and people due to travel to the resort are advised to contact their travel company. | An Abta spokeswoman said holidaymakers in Sharm and people due to travel to the resort are advised to contact their travel company. |
| "Most insurance policies will still provide cover for holidaymakers in a country at the time of Foreign Office advice change," she added. | "Most insurance policies will still provide cover for holidaymakers in a country at the time of Foreign Office advice change," she added. |
| "Those people with bookings beyond this are advised to wait until closer to the departure date to contact their travel company as the situation is reviewed." | "Those people with bookings beyond this are advised to wait until closer to the departure date to contact their travel company as the situation is reviewed." |
| Egypt's foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, said he was very disappointed by the decision to suspend flights, accusing the UK government of making "a premature and unwarranted statement" on the crash. | Egypt's foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, said he was very disappointed by the decision to suspend flights, accusing the UK government of making "a premature and unwarranted statement" on the crash. |
| Egypt has dismissed claims by militants linked to the Islamic State group that they brought down the plane while Russian experts say it is too early to reach a conclusion. | Egypt has dismissed claims by militants linked to the Islamic State group that they brought down the plane while Russian experts say it is too early to reach a conclusion. |
| Mr Hammond apologised for the "immense disruption and inconvenience" caused by the decision but said the safety and security of British nationals had to be "above all other considerations". | Mr Hammond apologised for the "immense disruption and inconvenience" caused by the decision but said the safety and security of British nationals had to be "above all other considerations". |
| He said the UK would be working with the Egyptian authorities and airlines to help put long term sustainable security measures in place. | He said the UK would be working with the Egyptian authorities and airlines to help put long term sustainable security measures in place. |
| Are you in Sharm el-Sheikh? Are you planning to travel to the Sinai region from the UK? Are you affected? If you have any information to share with the BBC, you can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in Sharm el-Sheikh? Are you planning to travel to the Sinai region from the UK? Are you affected? If you have any information to share with the BBC, you can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |