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EgyptAir plane hijack

Russian experts to check airports of three Egyptian cities — official

Russia will take a decision if more demands have to be made to ensure security at Egypt’s airports after the investigation into this week’s incident with the hijacking of the A320 passenger plane

© EPA/KHALED ELFIQI EPA/KHALED ELFIQI

EgyptAir plane hijack

MOSCOW, March 31. /TASS/. Russian experts will carry out checks at Egypt’s airports of Cairo, Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada, Deputy Russian Transport Minister Valery Okulov told reporters on Thursday.

Russia will take a decision if more demands have to be made to ensure security at Egypt’s airports after the investigation into this week’s incident with the hijacking of the A320 passenger plane, he said.

"When they carry out the investigation, then it will be more or less clear. Then we will take the decision," the official said.

The A320 passenger jet of EgyptAir, bound from Alexandria to Cairo, was hijacked Tuesday morning. The hijacker, an Egyptian national, forced the pilot to divert the plane, threatening to blow up the alleged suicide belt that he was wearing. Some 45 minutes after the aircraft landed at the airport of the Cypriot city of Larnaca. Several hours later the man released all the hostages and surrendered to the Cypriot police.

The information that the hijacker had weapons or explosives was not confirmed.

Russia suspended the flights to Egypt after the October 31 crash of Russian passenger jet over the Sinai Peninsula that killed 224 people. The crash was caused by a bomb with up to 1 kg in TNT equivalent planted on the plane, the Federal Security Service (FSB) chief said.

Moscow called on Egypt to step up security measures at the country’s airports and a commission from Russia is planning to check this April how these demands are fulfilled.

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EgyptAir hijack

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