“Islamic state” assumed responsibility for the collapse of the A321 – RBC

Airbus 321 airline “Kogalymavia” with tail number EI-ETJ (archive photo)

Photo: Marina Lystseva / TASS

The Egyptian branch of the “Islamic State” (a terrorist organization banned in Russia) took responsibility for the collapse of the Russian aircraft in the Sinai Peninsula. It is reported by AFP.

Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov, commenting on the information reported, it can not be considered reliable, Interfax reported.

Bi-bi-si said that the statement on behalf of the group appeared in the messenger Telegram. The corresponding assertion militants also appeared in social networks used by the supporters of terrorists, as well as the Internet portal, which is actively used by extremists for informational purposes, reports Reuters.

British journalists pointed out, that the territory in which the ship crashed, is a zone of anti-terrorist security operation against militants in Egypt, calling themselves the “Islamic state in Sinai province.” Experts television reported that gunmen in principle no weapons capable to knock out the aircraft at an altitude of 9450 meters. It is at this distance from the ground was the liner until the beginning of reduction.

Day October 31 Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov pointed out that the Russian aviation authorities did not receive information about the closure of flights over the conflict zone in the Sinai Peninsula. Therefore airliners flew there in a normal mode.

Earlier, Egyptian authorities reported that an initial analysis of the wreckage showed that the cause of death of the ship, which was carrying 224 passengers and crew members, began to technical reasons. There is no evidence that the plane was blown up or shot down from the ground, there is.

After the statements of terrorists Ministry of Internal Affairs of Egypt once again denied the information about the sabotage as a possible cause of the accident.

After a while, after takeoff, the plane began to lose altitude A321 and speed. According to a representative of the Egyptian committee to investigate aircraft accidents, Ayman al-Mugadema, the pilot warned air traffic controllers that the plane originated “technical problem” and needed to land as soon as possible. Fly to the airport of El Arish on the Mediterranean Sea, he failed.

The armed conflict in the Sinai Peninsula began in 2011, when the Egyptian prisons have left hundreds of Islamists. During the fighting on both sides killed hundreds of people, but to bring the situation fully under the control of the official Egyptian authorities have not yet succeeded.

Source: Flightradar24