Egypt Finds No 'Terrorist Action' In Downing Of Russian Plane

The wreckage of the A321 Russian airliner in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.

Egyptian officials say they have finished a preliminary report on the Russian plane crash on the Sinai Peninsula in October and found no sign that a bomb caused the tragedy.

Egypt's Civil Aviation Ministry said in a statement on December 14 that a technical investigative committee "has so far not found anything indicating any illegal intervention or terrorist action" in the downing of the plane, in which all 224 people aboard were killed.

Russian and Western officials have said the crash was caused by a bomb, and a militant organization based in Egypt with ties to the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the incident.

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Federal Security Service Director Aleksandr Bortnikov said after an investigation that the airplane crashed as a result of an explosion of a bomb on board that was the equivalent of one kilogram of dynamite.

The A321 aircraft, which was flying to St. Petersburg, crashed shortly after taking off from the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh on October 31.

On November 6, Russia banned all flights to Egypt.

Based on reporting by Reuters