A Russian airline carrying more than 200 passengers and crew has crashed in central Sinai, Egypt.
The plane was reportedly flying from the Sinai Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg in Russia when it is said to have disappeared from radar screens just 23 minutes after take off.
It was believed to have been travelling at an altitude of 31,000 feet when it disappeared.
According to the BBC, Egyptian officials have stated that all of the passengers on board are believed to be Russian.
Airspace over Sinai Peninsula when #7K9268 disappeared from Flightradar24 at 04:13 UTC pic.twitter.com/H7kJk9qL6r
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) October 31, 2015
Local media have stated that the pilot is said to have reported a technical failure shortly after take off and asked for permission to land at a nearby airport.
The Airbus A-321 was being operated by airline Kogalymavia and latest reports have stated that it was carrying 217 passengers and seven crew members.
The news was confirmed by the office of the Egyptian Prime Minister in a statement.
A search and rescue operation is currently under way in the area.
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This is a breaking news story.
More updates to follow.
