MOSCOW, February 18. /TASS/. The investigation of the Russian air carrier Kogalymavia’s A321 liner crash in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula last year has been prolonged. Moscow’s Basmanny court made the decision after considering a complaint by a representative of the victims’ relatives, lawyer Igor Trunov.

"The period of the investigation has been prolonged till April 30," Judge Yelena Lenskaya said.

The October 31, 2015 air disaster claimed the lives of 224 passengers and crew who were on board an A321 liner en route from Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg. Russia’s Investigative Committee is investigating a criminal case under two articles of the Criminal Code 263 and 238 (violation of rules of air traffic safety and safe operation of aircraft and provision of services failing to meet security requirements entailing two or more deaths).

The head of Russia’s federal security service FSB Aleksandr Bortnikov said there had been evidence the plane was destroyed in a terrorist attack. A make-shift bomb went on board.

Lawyer Igor Trunov, representing a relative of one of the crash victims, said that the case had been expanded to incorporate two more criminal charges — terrorist attack and illegal circulation of weapons.