All 224 passengers on board the Russian airliner that crashed in Sinai – Egypt have died, Egyptian officials have confirmed.
The Airbus A-321 had just departed the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, headed for the Russian city of St Petersburg when it crashed, killing all passengers and crew on board.
The plane’s wreckage was found in the Hasana area and bodies, still strapped onto the seats, removed, along with the plane’s ‘black box’.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has announced Sunday a day of national mourning in honor of the Russians killed in the crash.
Egypt officials have confirmed that 214 of the passengers were Russians while three were from Ukraine.
A commission headed by Transport Minister Maksim Sokolov is to leave for Egypt on Saturday afternoon.
A criminal case has also been opened against the airline, Kogalymavia, for “violation of rules of flight and preparation for them”, Russia’s Ria news agency reported.
