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Plane Crash in Egypt ‘More Likely Than Not’ Caused by Bomb, Cameron Says Bomb Is ‘Possibility’ in Loss of Russian Jet Over Egypt, Obama Says
(about 3 hours later)
LONDON — Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain said Thursday that “more likely than not a terrorist bomb” had brought down the Russian chartered jet that broke apart over the Sinai Peninsula last Saturday, despite criticism from officials in Egypt and Russia that his assessment was premature. WASHINGTON — President Obama said Thursday evening that there was “a possibility” that a terrorist bomb was responsible for the destruction of a Russian passenger plane that broke up last Saturday over the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt.
In a joint appearance at No. 10 Downing Street with the Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Mr. Cameron said, “My role is to act in the right way to keep British citizens safe and secure.” He did not cite what specific intelligence he had suggesting a bomb had caused the crash, which killed all 224 people onboard the flight from the Egyptian resort Sharm el Sheikh. Mr. Obama said in a radio interview that there may have been a bomb on the plane, but he did not go as far as his counterparts in Britain, who have suggested that the destruction of the plane, and the death of all on board, was likely the result of a terrorist explosion.
Mr. Sisi declined to criticize Mr. Cameron’s earlier decision to temporarily suspend flights between Britain and Sharm el Sheikh, but in Cairo, Egyptian officials did just that. “I don’t think we know yet,” Mr. Obama told the Seattle radio station KIRO during an interview broadcast on Thursday afternoon. “Whenever you’ve got a plane crash, first of all you’ve got the tragedy, you’ve got — making sure there’s an investigation on site. I think there is a possibility that there was a bomb on board. And we are taking that very seriously.”
The president added: “We are going to spend a lot of time making sure our own investigators and our own intelligence community figures out exactly what’s going on before we make any definitive pronouncements. But it is certainly possible that there was a bomb on board.”
At the White House earlier in the day, officials said that the United States had not yet made a determination about the cause of the , but said that the government had not ruled the possibility that a bomb took the plane down.
“We can’t rule anything out, including the possibility of terrorism,” Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, told reporters in Washington.
Mr. Obama’s comments were the first direct indication by the president that the downing of the Russian airliner might have been something other than a technical malfunction. American officials have repeatedly cautioned that the cause of the crash was still under investigation.
Officials have noted that no American airlines fly to or from the airport in Egypt where the Russian plane left from. And they said before the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration had already issued guidance to airlines to fly higher above the region.
In London on Thursday, Prime Minister, David Cameron, said that “more likely than not a terrorist bomb,” had brought down the plane as he announced bring British citizens back from the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el Sheikh.
In a joint appearance at No. 10 Downing Street with the Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Mr. Cameron said, “My role is to act in the right way to keep British citizens safe and secure.” He did not cite what specific intelligence he had suggesting the explosion that felled the Russian plane about a half hour after it took off from Sharm el Sheikh was deliberate.
Mr. Sisi, who has counseled against jumping to premature conclusions, did not criticize Mr. Cameron’s earlier decision to temporarily suspend flights between Britain and Sharm el Sheikh, but Egyptian officials in Cairo did just that.
Hossam Kamal, the Egyptian minister of civil aviation, said that the suggestion of a bomb was not based on facts — and that there was as yet no evidence for that theory. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the British government had made the decision to halt flights unilaterally, without consulting Egypt.Hossam Kamal, the Egyptian minister of civil aviation, said that the suggestion of a bomb was not based on facts — and that there was as yet no evidence for that theory. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the British government had made the decision to halt flights unilaterally, without consulting Egypt.
Earlier on Thursday, in a phone call with Mr. Cameron, Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, also took exception to his comments, saying that any “assessment of the causes of the crash should be based on the data” from the investigation, the Kremlin said in a statement. In a telephone conversation on Thursday with Mr. Cameron, Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, also took exception to his comments, saying that any “assessment of the causes of the crash should be based on the data” from the investigation, the Kremlin said in a statement.
The British government has gone well beyond any other country — including the United States — in its public assessment of the crash. While there has been much speculation about what brought down the jet, the cause largely remains a mystery. American military officials said this week that satellite surveillance had detected a flash of light as the plane was ripped apart, suggesting it had been blown up by a bomb, an explosion caused by a mechanical failure or the ignition of fuel.
While there has been much speculation about what brought down the jet, the cause largely remains a mystery. American military officials said this week that satellite surveillance had detected a flash of light as the plane was ripped apart, suggesting it had been blown up by a bomb, an explosion caused by a mechanical failure or the ignition of fuel. They also cited other intelligence. But counterterrorism officials have cautioned strongly against jumping to premature conclusions. Mr. Cameron acknowledged that “we need to see the results” of the Egyptian investigation, but said, “The decisions that I’m taking are about putting the safety of British people first.”
Mr. Cameron acknowledged that “we need to see the results” of the Egyptian investigation, but told the BBC, “The decisions that I’m taking are about putting the safety of British people first.”
Mr. Sisi, standing next to Mr. Cameron in London, acknowledged that Britain had previously raised safety concerns. “Ten months ago, we were asked by our British friends to send teams to Sharm el Sheikh airport to make sure that all our security procedures there were good enough, and to provide adequate safety and security for our passengers,” he said, adding that the Egyptian authorities were ready to address any outstanding concerns.Mr. Sisi, standing next to Mr. Cameron in London, acknowledged that Britain had previously raised safety concerns. “Ten months ago, we were asked by our British friends to send teams to Sharm el Sheikh airport to make sure that all our security procedures there were good enough, and to provide adequate safety and security for our passengers,” he said, adding that the Egyptian authorities were ready to address any outstanding concerns.
The British government announced later Thursday that flights from Sharm el Sheikh to Britain would resume Friday, and two British airlines, Monarch and EasyJet, said they were ready to run flights to bring stranded tourists back to Britain from the Red Sea resort. There are an estimated 20,000 British citizens on the Sinai Peninsula. The prime minister’s office announced later Thursday that British and Egyptian officials “agreed on a package of additional security measures that is being put in place rapidly,” and flights from Sharm el Sheikh to Britain would resume on Friday. Two British airlines, Monarch and EasyJet, said they were ready to run flights to bring stranded tourists back to Britain from the Red Sea resort, where there are an estimated 20,000 British citizens.
The prime minister’s office said in a statement that British officials, in discussion with the airlines and the authorities in Egypt, “agreed on a package of additional security measures that is being put in place rapidly.”
The new security measures include transporting checked baggage separately, though passengers will be allowed carry-on bags. “We are working with the airlines to ensure there are suitable arrangements in place to reunite passengers with their belongings as soon as possible,” the statement said.The new security measures include transporting checked baggage separately, though passengers will be allowed carry-on bags. “We are working with the airlines to ensure there are suitable arrangements in place to reunite passengers with their belongings as soon as possible,” the statement said.
Flights to Sharm el Sheikh from Britain remained suspended, the statement added.Flights to Sharm el Sheikh from Britain remained suspended, the statement added.
“We will not resume normal flying activity until we are confident that there are long-term, sustainable arrangements in place that make flying between the U.K. and Sharm el Sheikh safe,” the foreign secretary, Philip Hammond said Thursday.“We will not resume normal flying activity until we are confident that there are long-term, sustainable arrangements in place that make flying between the U.K. and Sharm el Sheikh safe,” the foreign secretary, Philip Hammond said Thursday.
Two subsidiaries of the German airline Lufthansa, the Düsseldorf-based Eurowings and Edelweiss Air, which operates out of Zurich, suspended their Sharm el Sheikh flights on Thursday. Lufthansa said the group was working out a plan to help passengers return home.Two subsidiaries of the German airline Lufthansa, the Düsseldorf-based Eurowings and Edelweiss Air, which operates out of Zurich, suspended their Sharm el Sheikh flights on Thursday. Lufthansa said the group was working out a plan to help passengers return home.
According to the Egyptian authorities, there were 23 flights operating to Sharm el Sheikh on Thursday from Russia; eight from Ukraine; three from Italy; two from Saudi Arabia; and one each from Belgium, Jordan and Turkey.According to the Egyptian authorities, there were 23 flights operating to Sharm el Sheikh on Thursday from Russia; eight from Ukraine; three from Italy; two from Saudi Arabia; and one each from Belgium, Jordan and Turkey.
Aleksandr Neradko, head of the Federal Air Transport Agency in Russia, said investigators in Egypt looking into the crash would be examining the wreckage of the airplane, including the hand baggage and victims’ bodies to see if there were traces of explosive substances. “They will be studying aspects relating to a possible terrorist attack,” he said. He said a group of experts had already begun studying the contents of the plane’s flight data recorder.Aleksandr Neradko, head of the Federal Air Transport Agency in Russia, said investigators in Egypt looking into the crash would be examining the wreckage of the airplane, including the hand baggage and victims’ bodies to see if there were traces of explosive substances. “They will be studying aspects relating to a possible terrorist attack,” he said. He said a group of experts had already begun studying the contents of the plane’s flight data recorder.
In Moscow, Russia’s airline regulator attempted to shift the focus of the cause of the crash back on safety issues by questioning the flying certificates of all Boeing-737 aircraft, a different type of plane from the one that crashed in Egypt six days ago. A statement on the website of the Interstate Aviation Committee said that it was suspending flight authorization for the aircraft, citing questions previously raised by the United States and Russia about their rudder control system and considered resolved.In Moscow, Russia’s airline regulator attempted to shift the focus of the cause of the crash back on safety issues by questioning the flying certificates of all Boeing-737 aircraft, a different type of plane from the one that crashed in Egypt six days ago. A statement on the website of the Interstate Aviation Committee said that it was suspending flight authorization for the aircraft, citing questions previously raised by the United States and Russia about their rudder control system and considered resolved.
The order came amid growing calls by Russian lawmakers to revive the domestic airline construction business after the MetroJet crash, and to limit the importation of older Western aircraft. Russian watchdog agencies often announce regulatory problems with all kinds of foreign goods after international incidents or diplomatic disputes.The order came amid growing calls by Russian lawmakers to revive the domestic airline construction business after the MetroJet crash, and to limit the importation of older Western aircraft. Russian watchdog agencies often announce regulatory problems with all kinds of foreign goods after international incidents or diplomatic disputes.
The 737, of which there are at least 86 planes in the fleets of the main Russian airlines, according to the Kommersant newspaper, is the second most popular after the Airbus 320 series of aircraft, which includes the Airbus 321, the type of airplane that crashed in Egypt, the TASS news agency reported.The 737, of which there are at least 86 planes in the fleets of the main Russian airlines, according to the Kommersant newspaper, is the second most popular after the Airbus 320 series of aircraft, which includes the Airbus 321, the type of airplane that crashed in Egypt, the TASS news agency reported.
Also on Thursday, the first two funerals were held for victims of the Sinai crash. Nina Lushchenko, who ran a school canteen, was laid to rest after a traditional Orthodox service held in a 16th-century church in the town of Veliky Novgorod, 125 miles south of St. Petersburg.Also on Thursday, the first two funerals were held for victims of the Sinai crash. Nina Lushchenko, who ran a school canteen, was laid to rest after a traditional Orthodox service held in a 16th-century church in the town of Veliky Novgorod, 125 miles south of St. Petersburg.
Mrs. Lushchenko, 60, went to Egypt with Lyudmila Gomechko, one of the canteen’s cooks, whose body is among the scores yet to be identified.Mrs. Lushchenko, 60, went to Egypt with Lyudmila Gomechko, one of the canteen’s cooks, whose body is among the scores yet to be identified.
Another funeral took place in St. Petersburg, where Aleksei Alekseev, 31, was buried. Mr. Alekseev was awarded the trip to Egypt by his employer, whose chief apologized for the decision at the funeral, according to local news reports, which did not identify the company.Another funeral took place in St. Petersburg, where Aleksei Alekseev, 31, was buried. Mr. Alekseev was awarded the trip to Egypt by his employer, whose chief apologized for the decision at the funeral, according to local news reports, which did not identify the company.