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Nearly 80 000 Russians are currently vacationing in Egypt, but there will be no emergency evacuation, with tourists set to return home when they want.

“Nearly 80 000 tourists are in Egypt,” Irina Tyurina, a spokesperson for the Russian Union of the Tourism Industry, told AFP after a government meeting. “There will be no evacuation,” she added.

Russia halted flights to Egypt on Friday amid growing fears that a Russian jet downed in Egypt last week was bombed. Empty planes are being sent to Egypt to bring Russian holidaymakers home, but they will be able to return at their own pace.