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Russian experts to visit Egypt in first half of 2017 to check airport security

Russia suspended air service with Egypt after a Russian passenger plane crashed over Sinai last October

MOSCOW, December 23./TASS/. Russian air specialists may visit Egypt in the first half of 2017 to check compliance with security requirements at the airports of Egyptian resorts, Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov said in an interview with Rossiya 24 television on Friday.

"We expect it will be the first half of next year. I expect that it will possibly be the first quarter," the minister added. 

Russia suspended air service with Egypt after a Russian passenger plane crashed over Sinai last October. The A321 plane belonging to Russia’s air company Kogalymavia was en route from Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt to St. Petersburg in Russia (flight KGL 9268) when it crashed over the Sinai Peninsula early on October 31 last year.

All the 224 people onboard, including 217 passengers and the seven-member crew, died. The passengers, most of whom were Russians, also included four Ukrainians and one citizen of Belarus.

Russian Federal Security Service said the plane crashed as a result of a terrorist attack. Moscow demanded that Egypt steps up security measures at its airports.