Africa

EgyptAir crash: Traces of explosives found on victims

Egypt to launch new inquiry into the downing of Flight MS804 in the Mediterranean

Pieces of a chair from the EgyptAir Flight MS804, which crashed into the Mediterranean Sea on May 19th, killing all 66 people on board. File photograph: Egyptian defence ministry/EPA
Pieces of a chair from the EgyptAir Flight MS804, which crashed into the Mediterranean Sea on May 19th, killing all 66 people on board. File photograph: Egyptian defence ministry/EPA
Thu Dec 15 2016 - 14:42

Traces of explosives have been found on some of the victims of an EgyptAir plane from Paris to Cairo that crashed in the Mediterranean Sea in May, Egypt's civil aviation ministry has said.

A ministry statement issued on Thursday said that a criminal investigation will now begin into the crash of Flight MS804, which killed all 66 people on board.

No one has claimed to have attacked the plane.

Sinai Peninsula crash

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The crash came seven months after a Russian airline’s plane crashed in the Sinai Peninsula shortly after taking off from an Egyptian Red Sea resort, killing all 226 people on board.

The local affiliate of the so-called Islamic State group said it had downed the Russian plane through an explosive device planted on board.

Russia said the aircraft was likely downed by explosives.

AP