Sinai plane crash: Russian airline official rejects possibility of technical fault

[MowCowWhoHow III]

Source: The Guardian

The Russian airline whose jet crashed in Egypt on Saturday, killing all 224 people on board, has said the crash could not have been caused by technical faults or human error.

Alexander Smirnov, the deputy general director of Metrojet, said the cause of the crash “could only have been an external impact on the plane” in the air, causing it to break up in mid-air and plummet to the ground.

When pressed for an explanation about what could have caused this impact, Smirnov insisted that he was not at liberty to discuss details because the investigation was ongoing.

“The plane was in excellent condition,” Smirnov told a news conference in Moscow. “We rule out a technical fault and any mistake by the crew,” he said.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/02/sinai-plane-crash-russian-official-blames-external-factor-egypt?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

---

Sinai plane crash: 'External activity' caused crash

The Russian airline Kogalymavia has blamed "external activity" for Saturday's Sinai plane crash which killed 224 people.

One airline official said: "The only reasonable explanation is that it was [due to] external activity."

An investigation by aviation experts using data from the aircraft's "black boxes" has yet to give its conclusions.

A Kremlin spokesman has told the BBC terrorism could not be ruled out as a possible cause of the crash.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34697416

[BumRushDaShow]

1. Just saw a CNN breaking banner

This ain't good. Probably why a bunch of airlines decided not to fly over that area. That would be a major deal if it were ISIL-sponsored (or related).

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/02/africa/russian-plane-crash-egypt-sinai/index.html

[Recursion]

2. Oh shit. (nt)

[Behind the Aegis]

3. How interesting.

I was mocked for saying there would be those making claims about "this group or that one", as if conspiracy theories are an anomaly, and here we are with a report that says...

Sinai plane crash: 'External activity' caused crash

THEN says...

An investigation by aviation experts using data from the aircraft's "black boxes" has yet to give its conclusions.

It is one thing to speculate, another to make "claims" without any proof.

[Recursion]

4. Wait. They claimed that without telemetry or CVR?

WTF, Egypt?

[Divernan]

5. "The plane broke up in mid air"

A senior Russian aviation official has confirmed that the plane broke up in mid-air. But Viktor Sorochenko said it was too early to draw conclusions about the causes of the disaster.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34687990

Causes such as a ground to air missile or an on-board bomb seem obvious possibilities, as opposed to some mechanical or system failure, which would not cause mid-air disintegration of the aircraft.

[blackspade]

9. It broke up in flight, not disintegrated.

Mechanical failure has caused several planes to break up in flight.

[marble falls]

6. from the article:

"The Airbus A321-200 had previously had an accident involving its tail section, but the airline officials said that full-scale repairs had been done and that there was no reason to think that the prior accident had anything to do with the crash Saturday."

Faulty repairs have brought down US airliners.

[bigworld]

7. Egypt's image and Metrojet's reputation are at stake with this

I don't expect to get the straight story from either of them.

Egypt will jump through hoops to insure their tourism industry isn't hurt by terrorism fears... Metrojet has a growing business that'll be hurt if the public thinks their planes aren't up to snuff.

The cockpit voice recorder should reveal much.... if the information is honestly reviewed and released.

[blackspade]

8. It's a bit early for that 'reasonable explanation'

Of course he is trying to get Metrojet off the hook.

[CanonRay]

10. This should be a scientific inquiry, not a political one

but the Russians don't want it to be Russia's fault, and the Egyptians don't want it to be terrorism. Good luck with that.

[Agnosticsherbet]

11. So the Aircraft was destoryed by the sudden stop at the end of a fall.

Gravity is at fault.

[RobinA]

12. Amazing How Many Things

that "could not" happen actually do happen. I have a feeling this is another one we will never know the full story about.

[jmowreader]

13. I thought they would, at this early point

If he takes responsibility now, it'll always be his airline's fault...even if the investigation proves beyond all doubt the plane went down because its previous owners put the wings back on with Elmer's and the glue failed. Apparently, tho, "no comment" doesn't have a direct Russian translation.

[leftyladyfrommo]

14. They don't want to get sued.

If there were technical reasons for the flight going down they would be responsible.

I don't think anyone knows what really happened and they probably won't for a long time. Those investigations take time.

[question everything]

15. Somehow, I don't trust Putin to admit problem with the plane. if true (nt)