Early on Saturday, a Russian passenger plane crashed in the Sinai Peninsula. The crash killed all 224 people aboard said officials.
Russia has said that 217 passengers on Kogalymavia Flight 9268 were Russians returning from vacation. Included in that were 17 children, it was reported.
Now, the Islamic State has released a message claiming responsibility for the deaths. However, the claim ISIS made has been met with wide skepticism by multiple sources and some think taking responsibility is a publicity stunt. But it is much too early to make final judgements on the cause of the crash. Below is ISIS’ statement:
And the English translated version:
The plane began a steep descent from 33,000ft, which makes it very unlikely that ISIS is capable of bringing the flight down.
ISIS claims to have videotaped the incident, please see the screenshots below in chronological order:
It’s very unlikely that ISIS possesses the required munitions to accomplish such a takedown, especially from 33,000FT.
Images from the scene:
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UPDATE: Lufthansa and Air France will be avoid Sinai overflights while they wait for clarity on what caused the accident. “We will continue to avoid the area until it is clear what caused the crash.” a Lufthansa spokesperson said. (yahoo)
UPDATE 2 (RE: Terror Incident):
“Early reports said that the aircraft split into two and that suggests a catastrophic failure, not a mechanical failure, but that suggests perhaps an explosion on board,” posited Michael Clarke, Director General of the Royal United Services Institute, an aviation think tank. “It’s much more likely to have been a bomb on board rather than a missile fired from the ground.”
UPDATE 3: 11-2-2015, PHOTOGRAPHS:
