Africa

Africa

Cairo offers assistance to Russia in investigation of passenger plane crash

31 October 2015 17:53 (UTC +04:00)

The conversation was held at the request of the Egyptian side, the ministry said.

"Shukri has offered his sincere condolences over the Russian chartered plane crash while en route from Sharm El Sheikh to [Russia's city of] St. Petersburg and underlined that authorities of the Arab Republic of Egypt will provide all necessary assistance to the Russian side to investigate the circumstances that caused this tragedy," it said.

On Saturday morning, an Airbus A321 carrying Russian tourists home - en route from the resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh to the Russian second largest city of St. Petersburg - crashed in the north of the Sinai Peninsula, some 100 kilometres of Arish. There were 217 passengers, including 17 children, and seven crew on board. Latest reports said that there were 214 Russian nationals, three Ukrainians and one Belarusian citizen. According to Egypt’s officials, no-one survived.

Sunday is announced a day of mourning in Russia.