Russian plane crash: Kogalymavia Airbus A-321 with 224 on board 'destroyed' in Sinai

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More than 100 bodies have been pulled from the plane wreckage so far, the Egyptian government said, the BBC reports. They are being taken to a Cairo morgue for examination before being flown to Russia for burial.

Flight operator Kogalymavia, also known as Metrojet, has identified the crashed plane captain as Valery Nemov.The airline described him as an "experienced" pilot who had clocked 12,000 air hours, including 3,860 flying A321s.

The company said the aircraft was in good shape, with all safety checks duly carried out. The plane underwent required factory maintenance in 2014.

The Kremlin has published a statement reporting on a phone conversation between President Vladimir Putin and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

Europe's aviation giants Lufthansa and Air France-KLM have said they are to avoid flying over the Sinai peninsula until the causes for this morning plane crash are clear.

"We will continue to avoid the area until it is clear what caused the crash," Lufthansa told Reuters. Air France- KLM described the decision as a "precaution".

The move comes after the Islamic State jihadi group claimed it was responsible for the disaster despite little or no supporting evidence.

Lufthansa also offered its condolences to the victims on Twitter.

The first images from the crash have been published by Russian website Lifenews. The pictures show to smoke rising from charred wreckage as military personnel is seen in a vast desert area in the background.

IS claim that it downed flight 7K 9268 in Sinai has raised a few eyebrows, with many analysts doubting the jihadi group has capability necessary for shooting down an passenger plane.

Egypt's foreign minister said they will closely cooperate with the Russians in the probe into the plane crash.

Sameh Shoukry said the government was commitment "to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident, in full cooperation and coordination with the Russian side," AP reported.

A purported passenger list of flight 7K9268 has been posted online by the Russian association of tour operators.

The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the plane crash in an online statement. The jihadi group said it downed the aircraft although it didn't specify how. Its local branch is active in the restive area where flight 7K9268 came down but it is not known to have weaponry necessary to shoot down a passenger flight flying at high altitude.

Egyptian officials said a technical problem was most likely the cause of the incident, adding there is no indication the Aribus A321 was downed. IS claim is in line with the group's terror propaganda campaign.

Flight operator Kogalymavia has pledged to offer compensation and free flights to Egypt to relatives of the victims, Interfax news agency reported. The company's offices were earlier raided by police as part of an official investigation into the crash.

US Secretary of State John Kerry offered his condolences to the families of the victims.

"We don't know any details about it, but obviously the initial reports represent tremendous tragedy, loss, and we extend our condolences to the families and all those concerned," he said during an official visit to Kyrgyzstan.

Aircraft manufacturer Airbus has confirmed it was one of its planes that went down in Egypt.

British Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted:

Egyptian officials said three Ukrainian nationals were among the passengers that were previously thought to be all Russians, Reuters reported. 138 passengers were women, 62 men and 17 children.

Hopes of finding survivors have faded away as Egyptian officials told AP all those on board flight 7K 9268 have died in the crash.

Russian Prime Minster Dmitry Medvedev said he is "deeply shocked" by the tragedy in a tweet.

Meanwhile Egypt's civil aviation authority chief Mahmud al-Zinati confirmed to AFP that all 17 children on board died in the crash.

Germany's foreign office tweeted:

Meanwhile Russian president Vladimir Putin has as declared a national day of mourning on Sunday 1 November.

Members of the Russian Emergencies Ministry have been deployed to St Petersburg Pulkovo airport to provide support to relatives of passengers and crew of the crashed plane that are gathering there, waiting for news on their loved ones.

Plane tracker website Flight Radar has tweeted a looping payback of the route of flight 7K9268.

The Kremlin official twitter account wrote:

Egyptian rescue teams said they have found the aircraft's black box.

25-year-old Ella Smirnova whose parents were on board flight 7K9268 told AFP in St Petersburg: "I spoke to them last on the phone when they were already on the plane, and then I heard the news.

"I will keep hoping until the end that they are alive, but perhaps I will never see them again".

Meanwhile Moscow said it has deployed rescue teams to Egypt to help local authorities.

In this photo, the Metrojet's Airbus A-321 with registration number EI-ETJ that went down in Egypt is seen on the tarmac in Antalya, Turkey, last month.

Relatives of passengers and crew of flight 7K9268 have been gathering at St Petersburg airport.

French President Francois Hollande has expressed his condolences on Twitter:

"In the wake of this tragedy, I send France's condolences to President Putin and express our solidarity to the Russian people," he wrote.

The Russian embassy in Cairo tweeted the plane was trying to reach the northern Sinai city of El Arish for an emergency landing after reporting technical issues on board.

Russia has opened an investigation into the disaster. Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported the plane crew complained of engine problems several times before its last flight.

More details are emerging as rescue teams arrive at the crash site. Russian media are reporting that at least five of the 17 children on board have died in the incident and their bodies have been pulled from the wreckage.

The plane is reported to have broken down in two separate parts during the crash. The tail end is understood to have caught fire.

A rescue official told Reuters: "I now see a tragic scene. A lot of dead on the ground and many died whilst strapped to their seats."

Israel has offered to assist Egyptian authorities in the aftermath of the plane crash.
Israel Defence Forces spokesman Peter Lerner tweeted:

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. All passengers on board were said to be Russians.

Reuters news agency has quoted officers at the crash site as saying there might be survivors.

Voices of passengers trapped inside the wreckage can be heard in a section of the aircraft, the officials said.

Egyptian officials have blamed the crash on a "technical failure". Ayman Al-Mokadem, the head of an investigative committee into the incident Ahram Online the pilot of Flight 7K9268 asked aviation authorities to authorise landing at the closest airport after reporting a technical failure.

Kogalymavia is a small airline based in western Siberia. It usually operates under the name Metrojet and is not among companies blacklisted by the EU over their poor safety record.

The aircraft that crashed was put into service 18 years ago, according to Russian media.

Plane manufacturer Airbus tweeted:

The BBC News Correspondent in Cairo Orla Guerin tweeted:

Plane tracker website Flight Radar tweeted:

Egypt's Civil Aviation authority said the plane wreckage has been found in near the central town of Hassana area, south of the northern port of Arish.

Islamist militants allied to the Islamic State (IS) are active in the norther part of the Sinai Peninsula, where they are leading an armed struggle against the Egyptian government.

Egyptian security sources told Reuters that there were no early indications that the plane was shot down. Poor weather conditions are reported in the crash area.

The Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation said a Russian plane that went down in the restive Sinai peninsula was carrying 217 passengers and seven crew members.

The flight opearated by Russian airline Kogalymavia disappeared from radar screens 23 minutes after taking-off from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on 31 October.

Rescue teams are looking for the aircraft that was bound for St Petersburg in Russia. A security sources told Reuters the Airbus A-321 was completely destroyed in the crash.