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Around 15,000 Russian tourists evacuated from Egypt over weekend

On November 6 Vladimir Putin has ordered to suspend Egypt flights and to assist Russian citizens in returning from Egypt

© Maxim Grigoriev/TASS

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Putin signs temporary ban on passenger flights from Russia to Egypt

MOSCOW, November 9. /TASS/. Around 15,000 Russian tourists have been evacuated from Egypt over Saturday and Sunday, the Association of Russian Tour Operators vice president Dmitry Gorin told Russian News Service radio station on Monday.

"As of November 6, we had 79,000 tourists at Egyptian resorts. Over the weekend, around 15,000 people have been evacuated. I think the number will increase today as night flights from yesterday will be added," Gorin said.

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The evacuation process is proceeding in accordance with the schedule. "When vacation ends, [people] return on their [scheduled] flights but without luggage," he stressed.

On November 6 Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed with the recommendations of the National Anti-Terrorist Committee and ordered to suspend Egypt flights. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained that the measure will be in force not until the end of the investigation of Kogalymavia Flight 9268 crash over Sinai on October 31 but rather until appropriate security measures are ensured. Putin also ordered to assist Russian citizens in returning from Egypt.

Russian Kogalymavia’s A321 plane en route from Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg crashed on October 31 around 30 minutes after takeoff in North Sinai, 100 kilometers to the south of Al-Arish. Flight 9268 carried 217 passengers and seven crewmembers. Egyptian authorities said no one survived in the crash. Most passengers were Russian nationals.

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