Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation waiting for Russia’s recommendations on airport security measures

CAIRO, January 28. /TASS/. Egypt’s Ministry of Civil Aviation has not yet received Russia’s Roasviatsiya air transport agency’s recommendations on additional security measures in Egyptian airports, the ministry’s press service told TASS on Thursday. "As soon as we receive recommendations from Moscow, we will issue a press release on this matter," a spokesperson for the ministry said. She did not clarify the timeframe for implementing recommendations. "Since we have not received anything yet, it is hard to say how much time will be needed to implement additional security measures," she noted. "We will talk about this in detail when we see recommendations and will be able to assess the scope of work," the spokesperson noted. Rosaviatsiya said on January 27 it sent to Egypt recommendations on additional aviation security measures. "In January 2016, representatives of the Russian aviation authorities conducted an audit of the set of measures taken by the Arab Republic of Egypt at the country’s airports with a view to enhancing aviation security. Based on the work results, the Russian side has formulated and sent to the Egyptian authorities additional recommendations on aviation security measures. According to the Egyptian side, the implementation of these recommendations will take additional resources and time," the press service said. On November 26, 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin suspended air service with Egypt agreeing with the recommendations of the National Antiterrorist Committee (NAC). Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said then that this measure was introduced not until the investigation of the crash of Russia’s A321 airliner of the Kogalymavia air carrier over Sinai as a result of an act of terror on October 31 last year is completed, but until the proper security level is ensured. An A321 passenger jet of Russia’s Kogalymavia air carrier (Flight 9268) bound for St. Petersburg crashed on October 31 some 30 minutes after take-off from Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh. It fell down 100 kilometers south of the administrative center of North Sinai Governorate, the city of Al-Arish. The plane was carrying 217 passengers and seven crew members. There were four Ukrainian nationals and one Belarusian among the passengers. None survived. That was the biggest air crash in the history of Russia’s aviation. Following the crash, Russia suspended air service with Egypt. Read more