All flights between UK and Sharm el-Sheikh suspended

LONDON, England – The Russian plane that crashed in Egypt at the weekend “may well have been brought down by an explosive device”, Downing Street has said.

LONDON, England – The Russian plane that crashed in Egypt at the weekend “may well have been brought down by an explosive device”, Downing Street has said.

All flights between the UK and Sharm el-Sheikh have been suspended on Wednesday evening as UK experts assess security at the Egyptian airport.

Number 10 said flights had been delayed as a “precautionary measure” after “more information has come to light”.

Russian Airbus 321 crashed on Saturday, killing all 224 people on board.

“We would underline that this is a precautionary step and we are working closely with the airlines on this approach,” a Number 10 spokesman said.

Aviation experts have traveled to Egypt to make an assessment of the security arrangements at the Egyptian airport and expect to complete an investigation tonight.

Their findings will be considered in a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee, chaired by Prime Minister David Cameron, which is under way.

Egypt’s President Sisi is currently in the UK, and is due to meet the prime minister on Thursday. They spoke on Tuesday before Downing Street released its statement.

‘An explosive device’

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said the delays would allow UK experts time to make sure “the right security measures are in place”.

“We can not categorically say why the Russia jet crashed but we have become concerned that the plane may well have been brought down as a result of an explosive device,” he said.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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