Russian Airplane Crashes In Sinai Egypt Shortly After Pilot Called In For An Emergency Stop

Egyptian security forces have heard voices inside the wrecked fuselage of a Russian passenger jet which crashed into the Sinai desert in northern Egypt. The aircraft, which had 200 adult passengers, 17 children and seven crew crashed less than 25 minutes after it took off from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

The Irish-owned aircraft was leased by a Russian airline. It crashed in the Hassana area, south of Arish. Security forces discovered the crash wreckage in a remote mountainous area in a region containing many ISIS-affiliated terrorists.

Ayman al-Mugadem of the Aviation Incidents Committee said the pilot warned air traffic controllers that aircraft had developed ‘a technical problem’  and he needed to land as soon as possible.

According to radar data, the aircraft was descending at more than 6,000 feet per minute shortly before the impact.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has ordered his own team of experts to the crash site to determine the cause of the disaster.

Reports suggest the pilot was attempting an emergency landing at El-Arish international Airport.

Egyptian authorities confirmed that ‘casualties’ were being evacuated to local hospitals. A total of 45 ambulances have been sent to the scene.

The aircraft is believed to have broken into two sections after the jet crashed. Early reports said that the bodies of five children have been recovered, still strapped to their seats.

According to Flight Radar 24, the jet was plunging at 5,760 feet per minute at 30,000 feet when it lost contact with air traffic controllers.

Reports suggest the pilot had warned air traffic controllers of a technical issue on board the aircraft.

Weather conditions were said to be poor at the time of the crash.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has expressed his condolences with the families of those people on board the tragic jet. He has ordered his own crash investigators to the scene to probe the cause of the disaster.

Egyptian security officials have found the wreckage in a remote mountainous region which has large numbers of ISIS-affiliated terrorists, although they are not thought to possess any weapons which could hit a passenger jet at its 35,000 feet cruising altitude.

However, airlines have been warned not to drop below 24,000 feet in the area due to the threat of ‘dedicated anti-aircraft weapons’.

Egypt’s top prosecutor ordered an investigation into the cause of the disaster.