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Coronavirus pandemic

Russia will decide on resumption of flights to Egyptian resorts after visit of experts

An interagency delegation will assess the epidemic situation in the country, preventive measures in tourist accommodation and the capabilities of laboratories and medical institutions

MOSCOW, July 14. /TASS/. Russia will decide on resumption of flights to the Egyptian resorts of Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh following a visit of its delegation of experts, an official with the federal operational headquarters for the fight against coronavirus told reporters on Wednesday.

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Putin lifts restrictions on air service to Egypt

"Following the visit of the Russian delegation, the operational headquarters will make a decision on the possibility of resuming flights from Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh," the official said.

Earlier, the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing reported that Russia would send an interagency delegation to Egypt to assess the epidemic situation in the country, preventive measures in tourist accommodation, as well as the capabilities of laboratories and medical institutions.

Air traffic between Russia and Egypt was completely interrupted in November 2015 after the crash on the Sinai plane of the Russian company "Kogalymavia", flying from Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg. On board there were 217 passengers and seven crew members, all of whom were killed. The FSB qualified the incident as a terrorist attack.

In January 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the resumption of regular air traffic to Cairo. The first flight from Moscow took place four months later, in April. Until now, charter flights with Egyptian resort areas remain closed. Over the past years, the Egyptian side has improved the system of inspection, control and inspection of passengers and baggage, as well as significantly modernized the infrastructure of the airports/

On April 23, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi agreed on the resumption of air links between Russian cities and Red Sea resorts. At the beginning of May Russia’s ambassador in Cairo, Georgy Borisenko, said the aviation authorities and security agencies were to complete the whole package of measures for the restoration of air traffic.

On July 8, President Vladimir Putin annulled a 2015 decree banning flights by Russian airlines to Egyptian resorts.

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