Russian plane crash: No sign yet of 'terrorist act', says Egypt

Cairo: A preliminary investigation into the crash of a Russian passenger plane has found no indication yet of any “illegal or terrorist act,” Egypt’s chief investigator said in a report released Monday. The vaguely worded statement released by Ayman el-Muqadam said the investigation committee so far has not found “any evidence” indicating foul play in the 31 October downing of the plane, killing all 224 people onboard, mostly Russian vacationers. The committee is “continuing its work,” it said. [caption id=“attachment_2493312” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Debris belonging to the A321 Russian airliner are seen at the site of the crash. AFP[/caption] Russia has said an explosive device had been placed onboard the Airbus A321-200 and the Sinai branch of the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility. The crash led Russia to suspend all flights to and from Egypt, dealing a heavy blow to the country’s vital tourism industry. El-Muqadam said the investigating committee completed its preliminary report Sunday evening, which contained all available information that will be further investigated. He said the search for wreckage extended more than 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the main crash site and that the committee provided all parties that are part of the investigation, including the insurance company and Russian working teams, the chance to examine the wreckage. The investigators analyzed the plane’s 38 computers and two engine computers and is currently checking the technical details of the plane and repairs carried out since it was manufactured in May 1977. El-Muqadam said the investigation committee made 15 visits to the crash site, and the team was coordinating with the air force to move the wreckage to a safe location in Cairo for further study. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment directly on the Egyptian statement, but told reporters in a conference call, “I can remind you of the conclusion of our experts from the special services, who came to the conclusion that it was a terrorist action.” AP