Questions swirl over Russian plane crash in Egypt

THE remains of Russian tourists killed in a passenger jet crash in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula were expected to start arriving back in St. Petersburg, Russia yesterday as questions swirlled over what caused the disaster.

All 224 people aboard Kogalymavia Flight 9268 died in the crash on Saturday morning that left debris strewn across a remote area of a region plagued by a violent Islamic insurgency.

Many of the passengers on the Airbus A321-200 aircraft, which crashed en route from the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg, were reported by Russian state media to be returning from vacation. Russian officials said there were 25 children aboard the plane.

At Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, where the aircraft was supposed to end its journey, mourners paid their respects to victims at a makeshift memorial. People brought red or white carnations and stuffed toys. A table held a dozen candles. Relatives who had waited desperately for news of loved ones broke down in tears.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared yesterday a day of mourning.

It remains unclear what caused Flight 9268 to suddenly drop off radar, in clear weather after only 23 minutes in the air, and hurtle to the ground.

Speaking to high-ranking army officers in Cairo yesterday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi asked them to observe a moment of silence before urging the public not to jump to conclusions. Determining what happened will require a lengthy investigation, he said.

“These are complicated matters that require advanced technologies and wide investigations that might go on for months,” he said.