Russian aircraft crashes in Egypt, office of Prime Minister Ismail confirms
Sat Oct 31, 2015 7:19AM
An Airbus A320-232 operated by Russian airline Kogalymavia (file photo)
A
Russian passenger aircraft has crashed in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, the
office of Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail has confirmed.A “Russian civilian plane… crashed in the central Sinai,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement.
“Prime Minister [Ismail] is expected to meet the concerned ministries and competent authorities to follow up on the accident of the Russian civilian plane that fell in central Sinai,” the premier’s office added.
The plane was reportedly chartered by Russian airline Kogalymavia and was carrying 217 passengers and seven crew members.
Egyptian research teams have found debris belonging to the aircraft in the Sinai Peninsula, the DPA reported.
Possible casualties are yet to be reported by Egyptian and Russian media.
“The staff of the Russian Embassy in Egypt are clarifying the situation,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on her Facebook page. “As soon as verified information is received, it will reported to the media.”‘Not shot down’
Meanwhile, reacting to media speculation that the plane may have been shot down, Egyptian security sources have said there are no indications to that effect.
A frenzy of initial reports provided conflicting information about the fate of the Airbus A-321 passenger plane as it initially lost contact with Egyptian air traffic control.
(This item is being updated.)