An Egyptian delegation, headed by Minister of Aviation Sherif Fathy and Prosecutor General Nabil Sadek, travelled to Russia’s capital Moscow early Tuesday to review the latest updates of investigations into the Russian aeroplane crash in Sinai.
It is expected that the Russian side will present the latest findings of their investigations into the case.
Captain Ayman Al-Mokdam, head of the Egyptian investigation committee, will join the delegation.
The delegation’s visit was announced during parliament speaker Ali Abdul Aal’s visit to Russia last week, during which he discussed the enhancement of ties between the two countries with Russian officials.
During his visit, Abdul Aal urged for the resumption of Russian flights to Egypt, and said that Egypt has already implemented 85% of Russia’s demands on flight safety recommendations. He said it was about time flights to Egypt resume, according to the Russian state-run news agency Sputnik.
Days after Abdul Aal’s visit, Fathy headed to Moscow to discuss ways to continue flights between Egypt and Russia. Flights had been suspended following the Russian aeroplane crash in Sinai on 31 October 2015.
Egyptian tourism was hit hard following the crash of the aeroplane, which killed all 224 on board. Russia, Germany, and the United Kingdom suspended their direct flights to Sharm El-Sheikh’s airport following the crash, citing safety concerns.
Two weeks after the crash, Islamic State (IS) claimed to have used a drink-can bomb to bring down the aeroplane.
Egyptian-Russian bilateral relations have witnessed a boost over the past few years following the signing of several agreements, including military and commercial agreements.
