Russian Crash in the Sinai: 'Plane Broke Up in the Air,' Official Says

[MULTIZ321]

I am still obsessed with the fact that it was reported that after 20 minutes the plane made an about face to go back to the airport BEFORE it blew up. Why?

Russia Confirms Jet Broke Up in Mid-Air; Did 2001 Accident Doom It? - by Clive Irving/ The Daily Beast/ thedailybeast.com

"The airplane fell apart before crashing, evidently near the tail. That could mean a ‘tail strike’ from 14 years ago was never truly fixed.

The head of Russia’s aviation accident investigation body has confirmed that the Russian Airbus A321 that crashed in the Sinai on Saturday broke up in mid-air. Victor Sorochenko said that the wreckage was spread over an area of eight square miles – not concentrated in one debris field.

This would be consistent with a severe and very sudden structural failure that resulted in the airplane literally falling out of the sky from its cruise altitude of 31,000 feet. (An Egyptian statement that the pilot had reported a technical problem and asked for a diversion to the nearest airport was later withdrawn.)

EPA

Hi MPumilia,

The emphasis in the quote is mine to answer your question.


Richard

 

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All British Tourists Back From Sharm el-Sheikh by Weekend - From EuroNews.com

Several articles from different sources.


Richard

 

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Russian Crash Requires Broad Rethinking of Air Safety, British Official Says - by Paul Richter/ World/ Europe/ Los Angeles Times/ latimes.com

"Britain's foreign secretary called Tuesday for a broad reexamination of global air-safety practices in light of the deadly Oct. 31 crash of a Russian airliner in Egypt.

Philip Hammond said authorities need to study how terrorists were apparently able to take down a commercial airliner with a bomb for the first time since the Lockerbie air disaster of 1988. The crash of Metrojet Flight 9268, which killed 244 Russians en route from Sharm el Sheik, Egypt, to St. Petersburg, Russia, would also require a new approach to managing airport security in many countries, he said.

"We've been woken up," Hammond said in a meeting with a group of reporters..."

Egyptian security officials screen luggage as passengers prepare to check in at the airport at Sharm el Sheik on Nov. 9. (Ahmed Abd El-Latif / Associated Press)


Richard

 

[MULTIZ321]

Russia Says Bomb Brought Down Jet in Sinai, Offers $50 Million Reward - by Don Melvin and Matthew Chance, CNN/ Middle East/ cnn.com

"(CNN)The Russian passenger jet that crashed over Sinai, Egypt, was brought down by a bomb estimated to contain 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of explosives, the head of the Russian Federal Security Service said Tuesday, and the Russian government is offering a $50 million reward for information about those who brought it down.

The government had initially resisted the theory that the plane fell victim to terrorism, perhaps in retaliation for Russia's support of the government of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

But in a turnaround, the government is offering the reward, according to the official Sputnik news..."

Richard

 

[Egret1986]

Thank you, Richard, for sharing the updates.

Russia Says Bomb Brought Down Jet in Sinai, Offers $50 Million Reward - by Don Melvin and Matthew Chance, CNN/ Middle East/ cnn.com

"(CNN)The Russian passenger jet that crashed over Sinai, Egypt, was brought down by a bomb estimated to contain 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of explosives, the head of the Russian Federal Security Service said Tuesday, and the Russian government is offering a $50 million reward for information about those who brought it down.

The government had initially resisted the theory that the plane fell victim to terrorism, perhaps in retaliation for Russia's support of the government of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

But in a turnaround, the government is offering the reward, according to the official Sputnik news..."

Richard

I'm glad the Russian Government has accepted that this was an act of terrorism. It will be interesting to see who will come for the reward.

 

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Russia, Saying Its Jet was Bombed, Allies with France Against ISIS - by Neil MacFarquhar/ Europe/ International New York Times/ The New York Times/ nytimes.com

"MOSCOW — Russia on Tuesday said that it was coordinating with the French military in sharply ratcheting up attacks on Syrian territory — especially areas held by the Islamic State — as the government for the first time acknowledged that a bomb aboard a Russian charter jet full of vacationers had destroyed the aircraft that crashed more than two weeks ago on Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.

President Obama, in Manila for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit meeting, said early Wednesday that he was more open to cooperating with Russia in the campaign against the Islamic State, which has asserted responsibility for destroying the jetliner and for the deadly attacks in Paris last Friday, but only if the government of President Vladimir V. Putin begins targeting the militant group...

...Alexander V. Bortnikov, the head of the Federal Security Service, said crash investigators estimated that the bomb that brought down the Metrojet Airbus A321, killing all 224 people aboard, had been composed of up to 1 kilogram, or 2.2 pounds, of TNT. He added that “foreign made” explosive material had been found in the wreckage..."


Richard

 

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Islamic State Claims to Kill 2 Hostages; Reveals Photo of Russian Bomb - by John Bacon, USA Today/ News/ World/ USA Today/ usatoday.com

"The Islamic State on Wednesday released a photo purporting to show the bomb that brought down a Russian passenger jet and announced the killing of two more hostages.

The information was released in Dabiq, the Islamic State's online magazine, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, a U.S.-based organization that monitors extremists' activity online, and international media.

The photo showed a Schweppes Pineapple Gold soft drink can and two small devices with wires. The images could not be independently verified..."

(Photo: Dabiq magazine via EPA)


Richard

 

[x3 skier]

Russian Airliner not bombed?

Egypt says the explosion and crash may not have been a terrorist attack.

http://m.voanews.com/a/egypt-no-evidence-terrorism-caused-russian-plane-crash/3101809.html

Cheers

 

[Tia]

Who to believe really .

Article also says ''Islamic State said it took down the flight in retaliation for Russia's air campaign in Syria, which began in late September.''

 

[Ty1on]

Who to believe really .

Article also says ''Islamic State said it took down the flight in retaliation for Russia's air campaign in Syria, which began in late September.''

Who has the most concrete incentive to be untruthful? Egypt is losing billions in tourist revenue.

 

[Tia]

Who has the most concrete incentive to be untruthful? Egypt is losing billions in tourist revenue.

Can't say as I disagree with this thinking at all

 

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Egypt: No Evidence of Terrorism So Far in Russian Passenger Jet Crash - by Jethro Mullen and Sarah Sirgany/ World/ CNN/ cnn.com

Additional info to compliment x3skier's post.


Richard

 

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Exclusive: EgyptAir Mechanic Suspected in Russian Plane Crash - from Reuters/ World/ www.reuters.com


"An EgyptAir mechanic whose cousin joined Islamic State in Syria is suspected of planting a bomb on a Russian passenger plane that was blown out of Egypt's skies in late October, according to sources familiar with the matter.

So far Egypt has publicly said it has found no evidence that the MetroJet flight, which crashed in the Sinai Peninsula after takeoff from Sharm el-Sheikh airport, killing all 224 people on board, was brought down by terrorism.

A senior security official at the airline denied that any of its employees had been arrested or were under suspicion, and an Interior Ministry official also said there had been no arrests.

But the sources, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation, said the mechanic had been detained, along with two airport policemen and a baggage handler suspected of helping him put the bomb on board.

"After learning that one of its members had a relative that worked at the airport, Islamic State delivered a bomb in a handbag to that person," said one of the sources, adding the suspect's cousin joined Islamic State in Syria a year and a half ago.

"He was told to not ask any questions and get the bomb on the plane."..."

A child's shoe is seen in front of debris from a Russian airliner which crashed at the Hassana area in Arish city, north Egypt, November 1, 2015.
Reuters/Mohamed Abd El Ghany


Richard