Airliners Suspend Flights To and From Sharm el-Sheikh

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has directed Irish airline operators “not to operate to/from Sharm el-Sheikh Airport, Egypt or in the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula airspace until further notice.” It comes amid speculation that the Metrojet airliner that crashed in the Sinai desert on Saturday may have been brought down by a bomb. Two hundred and twenty-four people died in the incident which is still being investigated by aviation experts. As for those in Sharm el-Sheikh, tourists are being advised to exercise a high degree of caution and avoid travelling outside the resort. Those planning to travel there in the coming days should also check with their tour operator or airliners for further information on their specific flight. Flights between the holiday destination and the UK have also been suspended. Approximately 20,000 British tourists are said to be stuck in Sharm el-Sheikh. The plane was flying from the Sinai Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg in Russia when it 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. When the news broke local media claimed that the pilot reported a technical failure shortly after take off and asked for permission to land at a nearby airport.