“The investigation team does not have yet any evidence or data confirming this hypothesis”, Egyptian Minister of Civil Aviation Hossam Kamal said.
Advertisement
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said at a press briefing that the USA can not rule out the possibility of “terrorist involvement” in the downing of the Russian Federation jet.
Cameron’s comments echoed statements from US officials who believe the Russian Metrojet flight was blown from the skies last Saturday by a bomb smuggled aboard by ISIS terrorists. “We will not allow any UK-bound aircraft to take off from Sharm el-Sheikh until we are absolutely certain that it is safe for it to do so”.
It is too early to give a final verdict on what caused the Russian plane to crash over the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt on Saturday, but the terror factor can not be ignored, the USA said on Thursday.
Belgian airline Jetair said on Thursday it will send three planes to Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh to repatriate tourists, but without their luggage, following the crash of a Russian passenger jet that took off from the resort. “But if the intelligence is, and the judgment is, that that is a more likely than not outcome, then I think that it is right to act in the way that I did”, he said.
Hundreds of protesters gathered on Thursday outside Downing Street to denounce the visit, where Sisi met with the British Prime Minister David Cameron.
Two British airlines, Monarch and EasyJet, said they were ready to run flights to bring stranded tourists back to Britain from the Red Sea resort, where there are an estimated 20,000 British citizens.
Yet both Russian and Egyptian leaders were quick to say the cause of the lethal blast remained under investigation.
“We understood their concern because they are really interested in the safety and security of their nationals”.
British Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, meanwhile, said Egypt will have to put in place tighter long-term airport security measures before British flights resume to the Sinai Peninsula.
Thomas Cook, which provides flights to Sharm el-Sheikh from East Midlands Airport, is also giving customers who were due to travel in this time period the chance to cancel or re-book their holiday.
Advertisement
Russian and Egyptian officials have been less inclined to indulge speculation about the possibility of a terrorist attack.
