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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Russian plane crash: More Britons expected to return home | Russian plane crash: More Britons expected to return home |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The return of thousands of Britons stranded in Sharm el-Sheikh following the Russian plane crash is expected to continue over the weekend. | The return of thousands of Britons stranded in Sharm el-Sheikh following the Russian plane crash is expected to continue over the weekend. |
| The Department for Transport said 1,400 people had arrived back in the UK on eight flights on Friday, and further flights were anticipated later. | |
| UK-bound planes were halted on Wednesday amid fears the passenger plane was brought down by a bomb. | UK-bound planes were halted on Wednesday amid fears the passenger plane was brought down by a bomb. |
| Returning passengers have described chaotic scenes at the Egyptian airport. | Returning passengers have described chaotic scenes at the Egyptian airport. |
| Easyjet, Monarch, Thomson, Thomas Cook and British Airways have scheduled UK-bound flights from mid-afternoon local time on Saturday for some of the estimated 19,000 British nationals. | |
| The repatriation comes as the government confirmed reports that earlier in the year a plane carrying British tourists into Sharm el-Sheikh had come within 1,000ft of a missile. | The repatriation comes as the government confirmed reports that earlier in the year a plane carrying British tourists into Sharm el-Sheikh had come within 1,000ft of a missile. |
| The Daily Mail said the near-miss in August involved a Thomson jet carrying 189 passengers, and that the plane had been forced to manoeuvre away from the rocket. | The Daily Mail said the near-miss in August involved a Thomson jet carrying 189 passengers, and that the plane had been forced to manoeuvre away from the rocket. |
| The Department for Transport (DfT) said its investigation concluded it had not been a "targeted attack" and "was likely to be connected to routine exercises being conducted by the Egyptian military in the area at the time". | The Department for Transport (DfT) said its investigation concluded it had not been a "targeted attack" and "was likely to be connected to routine exercises being conducted by the Egyptian military in the area at the time". |
| 'Violent explosion' | 'Violent explosion' |
| The Russian jet - an Airbus A321, operated by Russian airline Metrojet - was flying from Sharm el-Sheikh to St Petersburg when it came down in Sinai last Saturday, killing all 224 people on board. Most of the victims were Russian. | The Russian jet - an Airbus A321, operated by Russian airline Metrojet - was flying from Sharm el-Sheikh to St Petersburg when it came down in Sinai last Saturday, killing all 224 people on board. Most of the victims were Russian. |
| French aviation officials have told the BBC the crash was not caused by technical failures, and other French officials said the flight data recorder suggested a "violent, sudden" explosion. | French aviation officials have told the BBC the crash was not caused by technical failures, and other French officials said the flight data recorder suggested a "violent, sudden" explosion. |
| Twenty-nine flights had been scheduled to return to the UK on Friday, but 21 were cancelled by the Egyptian authorities because of the build up of passengers and luggage. | Twenty-nine flights had been scheduled to return to the UK on Friday, but 21 were cancelled by the Egyptian authorities because of the build up of passengers and luggage. |
| Read more on this story | Read more on this story |
| Returning passengers' stories | Returning passengers' stories |
| Could IS have bombed Flight 9268? | Could IS have bombed Flight 9268? |
| How has airport security changed? | How has airport security changed? |
| Putin orders all Russian passenger flights to Egypt be stopped | Putin orders all Russian passenger flights to Egypt be stopped |
| Britons are allowed to travel home only with hand baggage; hold luggage is to be flown back separately, officials said. | Britons are allowed to travel home only with hand baggage; hold luggage is to be flown back separately, officials said. |
| Easyjet said it planned to bring home a further 445 passengers on Saturday with two flights into Luton airport. | Easyjet said it planned to bring home a further 445 passengers on Saturday with two flights into Luton airport. |
| Thomson Airways added that two planes were currently on standby in Egypt waiting for slots to fly people home. | Thomson Airways added that two planes were currently on standby in Egypt waiting for slots to fly people home. |
| Kate Dodds, who has been stuck in the resort since Wednesday, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "People are running out of medication, people are running out of money and people have problems with their jobs." | Kate Dodds, who has been stuck in the resort since Wednesday, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "People are running out of medication, people are running out of money and people have problems with their jobs." |
| Sean Tipton, spokesman for the travel association Abta, said holidaymakers on package holidays would automatically be entitled to accommodation, food and drink until they could return home. | |
| With regards to independent travellers, airlines are "legally obligated to pay for expenses", however, they will have to pay upfront and retain receipts, | |
| 'Traumatic' | 'Traumatic' |
| A Thomson Airways flight bringing Britons back from the Red Sea resort touched down at Glasgow Airport at around midnight last night. | A Thomson Airways flight bringing Britons back from the Red Sea resort touched down at Glasgow Airport at around midnight last night. |
| Brian Shaw, who was one of the first to leave the terminal, said of arrangements in Egypt: "Nobody knew what they were doing, the security was traumatic. | Brian Shaw, who was one of the first to leave the terminal, said of arrangements in Egypt: "Nobody knew what they were doing, the security was traumatic. |
| "We didn't even know what was going on today until we were on the plane." | "We didn't even know what was going on today until we were on the plane." |
| Fellow passenger Angela Downs, 44, said: "We left our hotel and waited in the airport for hours the other day to then be taken to a different hotel, so we're just happy to get back. | Fellow passenger Angela Downs, 44, said: "We left our hotel and waited in the airport for hours the other day to then be taken to a different hotel, so we're just happy to get back. |
| "To be fair, we got out and people on a Monarch flight were in the departures lounge and got turned back. | "To be fair, we got out and people on a Monarch flight were in the departures lounge and got turned back. |
| "The resorts feel fine, but the airport is chaos." | "The resorts feel fine, but the airport is chaos." |
| The below list are the scheduled flights for Saturday afternoon. British nationals in Sharm el-Sheikh are encouraged to check with their airline or tour operator on their travel plans. | |
| Hossam Kamal, Egypt's civil aviation minister, said the decision to restrict luggage on UK flights had forced the authorities to reduce the number of flights operating because the airport could not accommodate more than 120 tonnes of check-in baggage left behind. | Hossam Kamal, Egypt's civil aviation minister, said the decision to restrict luggage on UK flights had forced the authorities to reduce the number of flights operating because the airport could not accommodate more than 120 tonnes of check-in baggage left behind. |
| "logistical complexities" | |
| UK investigators believe terrorism was the most likely cause of the plane crash, and that a bomb may have been put in the hold before take-off. | UK investigators believe terrorism was the most likely cause of the plane crash, and that a bomb may have been put in the hold before take-off. |
| They have cited intelligence believed to be based on intercepted communications between militants in the region. | They have cited intelligence believed to be based on intercepted communications between militants in the region. |
| A COBR (Cabinet Office Briefing Room) meeting was held on Friday to review the situation. | A COBR (Cabinet Office Briefing Room) meeting was held on Friday to review the situation. |
| A spokesman said: "We continue to work closely with both the Egyptian authorities and the airline carriers to get people safely home as quickly as possible. | A spokesman said: "We continue to work closely with both the Egyptian authorities and the airline carriers to get people safely home as quickly as possible. |
| "But the sheer scale of the task poses a number of logistical complexities." | "But the sheer scale of the task poses a number of logistical complexities." |
| Passengers have been advised to take only essential items such as passports, car and house keys, money, medicines, and mobile phones to the airport. | Passengers have been advised to take only essential items such as passports, car and house keys, money, medicines, and mobile phones to the airport. |
| Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said UK security officials were monitoring the baggage screening process. | Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said UK security officials were monitoring the baggage screening process. |
| He said the government was making arrangements to ensure the luggage would be returned to passengers in a week to 10 days. | He said the government was making arrangements to ensure the luggage would be returned to passengers in a week to 10 days. |
| Are you due to return from Sharm el-Sheikh to the UK today? If you have any information to share with the BBC, you can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you due to return from Sharm el-Sheikh to the UK today? 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 |