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IS group claims responsibility
A Russian airliner crashed in Egypt on Saturday with 224 people on board, all of whom are presumed dead, even as an Islamic State affiliate group claimed responsibility for downing the plane in the Sinai peninsula, where the jihadists are waging an insurgency. “The soldiers of the caliphate succeeded in bringing down a Russian plane in Sinai,” said a statement from the group.
224 killed in Russian plane crash in Sinai
Cairo/Moscow: A Russian airliner crashed in Egypt on Saturday with 224 people on board, all of whom are presumed dead, even as an Islamic State affiliate group claimed responsibility for downing the plane in the Sinai peninsula, where the jihadists are waging an insurgency. “The soldiers of the caliphate succeeded in bringing down a Russian plane in Sinai,” said a statement from the group.
A statement published by IS propaganda agency said: "The fighters of the Islamic State were able to down a Russian plane over Sinai province that was carrying over 224 Russian crusaders. They were all killed, thanks be to God."
Kolavia flight 7K9268, an Airbus A321, en route to St Petersburg, went off the radar 23 minutes after taking off from Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport. It disappeared from radar screens when travelling at 31,000 ft. The plane started to drop very fast, losing 1,500m in one minute before coverage was lost. That crash was due to a "technical failure" and was not shot down; pilot Ayman Al-Mokadem, who is heading a committee to monitor the crash's aftermath, stated.
Al Mokadem, however, said the pilot sensed a technical failure and reported to the aviation authorities that he wanted to land at the nearest airport, Egypt's state-run Al Ahram news reported. An aviation team is on their way to extract the black boxes to determine the reason for the crash. Rescue workers reported that they could hear voices as they started recovering the bodies from the debris.
A death toll is yet to be announced. The pilot seemed to crash while attempting to land in Al-Arish's airport in North Sinai, Al-Mokadem added. At least 45 ambulances have been dispatched to the crash site, a cabinet statement revealed. The plane was carrying 217 passengers and seven crew members. Seventeen of the passengers were children. According to the Russian embassy in Egypt, all on board were Russian citizens, RT news said in its report.
