The Russian passenger jet that crashed in Egypt came down because of “external” factors, the airline company said Monday, hours after Islamic State released ‘video proof’ they shot down the aircraft.
“There are no technical failures that could lead to the plane breaking up in the air,” Alexander Smirnov, a senior official at Kogalymavia told a press conference, adding that “the only explanation — is some kind of external action”, without giving further details.
A statement from a militant group affiliated to Islamic State in Egypt said they had downed the passenger plane. The group released a video as evidence to ‘prove’ its claims.
The grainy footage shows an unidentified plane flying in the air before exploding and falling downwards.
“Soldiers of the Caliphate were able to bring down a Russian plane above Sinai Province with at least 220 Russian crusaders aboard. They were all killed, praise be to God. O Russians, you and your allies take note that you are not safe in Muslims lands or their skies,” a statement released by the IS on Saturday said.
“The killing of dozens daily in Syria with bombs from your planes will bring woe to you. Just as you are killing others, you too will be killed, God willing,” it added.
The terrorist group did not elucidate how they downed the plane which was carrying 221 Russians and three Ukrainians, mainly tourists returning from their holidays. There were also 17 children on board. Flight 7K9268 vanished from radars just 23 minutes after take-off.
Egyptian security sources earlier on Saturday said early investigations suggested the plane crashed due to a technical fault.
Speculation is rife with experts, although skeptical, are putting forward their theories of how the explosion could have come about.
Some suggest that it was possible IS had planted a bomb on the plane. However, others were of the opinion that it is false claim since the man-portable MANPADs the group could have would not be able to shoot a plane down at that height. One expert even called IS’s statement “almost certainly nonsense”.