Russian airliner crashes in Egypt's Sinai, killing all 224 aboard
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A Russian Airbus A321 crashed in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on October 31, 2015, killing all 224 people aboard. The aircraft disappeared from radar about 20 minutes after takeoff from Sharm el-Sheikh en route to St. Petersburg. Russian authorities later classified the crash as a terrorist act caused by an improvised explosive device.
Key Facts
- All 224 people on board — 217 passengers and seven crew members — died in the crash.
- The Airbus A321-231, registration EI-ETJ, disappeared from radar about 20 minutes after takeoff from Sharm el-Sheikh.
- Russian authorities later classified the crash as a terrorist act caused by an improvised explosive device.
- The aircraft broke apart in midair, with debris scattered over a wide area of North Sinai.
Flight and Crash
Flight 7K-9268 was operated by an Airbus A321-231 with registration EI-ETJ. The aircraft departed Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport early on the morning of October 31, 2015, bound for St. Petersburg. On board were 217 passengers and seven crew members, most of them Russian citizens returning from holidays in Egypt. About 20 minutes after takeoff, the aircraft suddenly disappeared from radar screens and contact with the crew was lost. The aircraft was later found to have crashed in the northern Sinai Peninsula, completely destroyed.
Investigation and Cause
Debris from the Airbus was found over a large area in the North Sinai region. Investigators noted that the aircraft did not send a standard distress signal. Flight recorders continued to capture flight parameters until the recording abruptly stopped during the climb. Materials from the Interstate Aviation Committee indicated that no system failures were recorded before that moment. Russian authorities later classified the incident as a terrorist act, stating that the cause was an explosion of an improvised device.
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Russian airliner crashes in Egypt's Sinai, killing all 224 aboard
