Cameron allows flights to rescue stranded Sinai resort tourists

Flights between the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh and the UK will resume later today after being suspended for two days.

But outbound flights from the UK will remain suspended, as the flights are to bring home stranded British holidaymakers. Some 20,000 tourists are reported to be affected by the ban.

Passengers will be allowed to carry only hand luggage, while checked luggage will be transported separately.

This is because the UK government suspects a bomb caused the Airbus A321, operated by a Russian carrier, to crash in the Sinai desert last Saturday killing all 224 people on board.

Prime Minister David Cameron says as more information has come to light, the fears over flight security have increased.

He ordered suspension of the flights “because of intelligence and information we have that gave us the concerns that it was more likely than not…a terrorist bomb.”

Egypt, Russia dismiss fears
Both Egypt and Russia have dismissed Mr Cameron’s assessment as premature.

However, he has discussed the situation with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone and in person with President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, who is on his first official visit to the UK this week.

Mr Putin told Mr. Cameron that all countries should wait for the crash investigation to finish before coming to conclusions, the prime minister’s spokesman said.

Mr.Cameron responded by saying the UK was right to halt flights and that his decision was driven by concerns about the safety of British citizens.

More than 900,000 British tourists visit Egypt every year.

A Sinai-based affiliate of the Islamic State has repeatedly claimed responsibility for blowing up the airliner and Chechen terrorists have succeeded previously with at least one other Russian airliner using suicide bombers.

But three attempts by al Qaeda operatives to explode bombs on western airliners have failed in 2001 (shoe bomb), 2006 (liquid device) and 2009 (underwear).

All attempts were carried out as suicide missions.

A British team of security experts was flown to the airport at Sharm el-Sheikh because of its reputation for lax security and ease of bribing officials there, reports have said.

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