Russian and Egyptian investigators to cooperate in establishing A321 crash causes

MOSCOW, July 28 /TASS/. Russian and Egyptian investigators have agreed to cooperate in establishing the causes of an A321 Russian airliner crash over the Sinai Peninsula on October 31, 2015, Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for the Russian Investigation Committee, told TASS after a working meeting between Investigation Committee Chief Alexander Bastrykin and Egypt’s Chief Prosecutor Nabil Sadek. The sides discussed possible interaction in establishing the causes of the A321 plane crash in which more than 217 Russian citizens died as well as the course of investigations pursued by the Russian Investigation Committee and Egypt’s competent bodies. "The heads of the two agencies agreed on the need to develop bilateral cooperation on this issue, including prompt information exchanges and the stepping up of direct contacts between Russian and Egyptian investigators and experts in a prescribed manner," Markin said. The sides said the results of the joint investigation would be important for strengthening reciprocal relations between Russia and Egypt in the provision of national security. Alexander Bastrykin and Nabil Sadek discussed a possibility of concluding a bilateral agreement with an aim to strengthen contacts and raise the efficiency of cooperation on questions of mutual interest. Egypt’s Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathi and Egypt’s ambassador to Russia were present at the Russian-Egyptian talks, Markin said. Russia’s A321 Kogalymavia aircraft crashed over the Sinai Peninsula on October 31 last year in a terror attack. Seven crew members and 217 passengers, who were onboard, died. Read more