Russia suspends flights to Egypt after crash kills 224 people

(Vatican Radio)  Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to suspend all Russian flights to Egypt until the cause of last week's crash of a passenger jet in the Sinai Peninsula is determined. He made the decision while pieces of wreckage from the aircraft were brought to Moscow to test for possible traces of explosives.

Listen to Stefan Bos' report:

Russia's sudden suspension of flights to Egypt followed statements by British and American leaders that it was likely that a bomb on board had brought down the Russian carrier Metrojet's Airbus A321-200. 

The aircraft crashed 23 minutes after takeoff from the Sinai resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, killing all 224 people on board. 

Russian officials had earlier accused the West of a rush to judgement. But Russian President Vladimir Putin decided on Friday to suspend all flights after listening to his intelligence chief.

"I want to stress that as long as we haven't established the causes of the incident, I consider it appropriate to suspend the flights of Russian aircraft to Egypt" said Alexander Bortnikov, director of the Russian Federal Security Service. 

Investigation continues

"This primarily applies to the tourist flow. And on the other side I believe that we have to cooperate actively with the Egyptian authorities in order to continue working on the investigation process of this accident," the official added. 

The suspension, covering all of Egypt, is even more sweeping than that imposed by Britain, which had halted flights to Sharm el-Sheikh only. 

However British ambassador John Casson pledged that at least some of the stranded tourists would be brought home."We are making progress here in Sharm-el-Sheikh this morning," he told reporters. 

"The first two flights are leaving as we speak to the UK in the next few minutes with an 180 passengers each on board. Based on the package of additional security measures that we have agreed in very good collaboration with the Egyptian authorities,"Casson added.      

Yet many others have been waiting for days including Grahame Matthews. "I paid for my ticket upfront. I am supposed to fly yesterday. Why I am still here? The planes are on the tarmac. Why can't I go on an airplane? This is wrong," he said. 

Helping people? 

"The Greek guy that owns [airliner] EasyJet should be here, helping the people," the angry tourist added.  

Egypt prevented several flights to pick up tourists because of the pile-up of baggage. Several international airliners only allow hand luggage amid security concerns.  

British carrier EasyJet had been due to operate 10 flights from the Red Sea resort but said eight would not be able to fly because Egypt had suspended them.

Some 20,000 British tourists were believed to remain stranded in Sharm el-Sheikh.    

The so-called Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for downing the plane. Russia has carried out air strikes in Syria that it says target the Islamic militants. However the West has accused Russia of targeting moderate opposition groups to ensure Syria's president Bashar Assad's grip on power, charges Moscow denies.