Putin halts Russian flights to Egypt as intel points to bomb in jet crash
Russian president orders repatriation of citizens from Sharm el-Sheikh amid speculation over what brought down jet
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a halt to all Egypt-bound flights and told authorities to begin repatriating Russian citizens trapped in the resort of Sharm el-Sheikh amid growing speculation that an onboard bomb downed a passenger jet that crashed in the Sinai Peninsula.
The suspension of flights comes after several days of statements by British and American officials indicating that intelligence points toward a midair explosion as the reason that the Russia carrier Metrojet's Airbus A321-200 crashed last Saturday. The plane plummeted from the sky just 23 minutes after taking off from Sharm el-Sheikh, killing all 224 people on board.
Russian and Egyptian officials had bristled at statements linking the crash to a bomb, saying it was too soon to tell the cause. But on Friday, Russian intelligence chief Alexander Bortnikov said it was "reasonable" to halt the flights. Neither he nor Putin offered the timeline for the suspension or the repatriation.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said Thursday that it was “more likely than not” that the Russian airliner crash was caused by a “terrorist bomb.”
The U.K. had already suspended all flights to and from the airport in Sharm el-Sheikh — a popular destination for British vacationers. On Friday, Britain's government said it was urgently working with Egyptian authorities to make sure planned flights leave the Red Sea resort.
Putin had also ordered the government to open talks with Egyptian authorities to guarantee the safety of flights, said Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesman.
A Sinai-based group affiliated with the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has claimed responsibility for the crash. If confirmed, it would make it the organization's first attack on civil aviation. Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah el Sisi has dismissed the claims as “propaganda.”
Before Friday, the Kremlin had said firmly it was too early to say what caused the crash and that all theories, including the possibility of technical failure, should be examined by the official investigation.
Ireland has also suspended regular flights to Sharm al-Sheikh amid growing concerns over what caused the plane crash and the level of security at the resort's airport. Egypt is one of the most popular holiday destinations for Russians and any decision to suspend flights would cause major logistical problems for Russia's airlines and stranded tourists.
Al Jazeera and wire services
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