Russian Plane Crashes In Sinai Killing All 224 People On Board

31 October, Cairo

A Russian airliner has crashed in central Sinai killing all 224 people on board, Egyptian officials have said.

The Airbus A-321 had just taken off from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh Saturday morning, on its way to the Russian city of St Petersburg.

Russian authorities said it was carrying 217 passengers, 17 of them children, and seven crew.

Egyptian officials said 214 of the passengers were Russian and three Ukrainian.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared Sunday a day of mourning and ordered an official investigation into the crash.

A commission headed by Russian Transport Minister Maksim Sokolov is to leave for Egypt on Saturday.

According to reports, Egypt’s Prime Minister Sharif Ismail had a meeting with ministers and security officials regarding the crash.

Sinai is the scene of an insurgency by militants who support Islamic State.

Russia launched air raids against Syrian opposition groups including Islamic State on September 30.

But Egyptian security sources said there was no indication that the Airbus jet had been shot down or blown up.