CAIRO, Egypt (AP) — The latest news on a Russian passenger plane that has crashed on a flight from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to St. Petersburg, Russia.
11:55 a.m.
Russia’s civil air agency is expected to have a news conference shortly to talk about the Russian Metrojet passenger plane that Egyptian authorities say has crashed in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula.
Officials were gathering at a hotel adjacent to the St. Petersburg airport, where Egyptian officials say the plane was heading with 217 passengers and 7 crew members.
The plane took off early Saturday from Sharm el-Sheikh, a popular Red Sea tourist destination for Russians. Plane tracking website Flight Radar said Metrojet flight #7K9268 disappeared over Egypt 23 minutes after takeoff.
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11:15 a.m.
Egypt’s Ministry of Civil Aviation has confirmed that a Russian passenger plane has crashed in the Sinai peninsula.
The ministry said earlier Saturday it had lost contact with a Russian aircraft carrying 217 passengers and 7 crew members.
A statement carried by Egypt’s state-run MENA news agency says the plane took off from Sinai’s Sharm el-Sheikh, a popular destination for Russian tourists, at 5:51 a.m. Saturday and disappeared from radar screens 23 minutes after takeoff.
It said the aircraft was bound for St. Petersburg in Russia. A search and rescue team is looking for the plane.
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