Emirates airline suspends flights over Sinai

Emirates, the official airline of the UAE, announced on Sunday that it had suspended flights over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula a day after a Russian passenger airliner crashed in the area, killing all 224 people on board.

Emirates said in a statement that it is currently avoiding flying over the Sinai peninsula until more information is available about the crash.

“We are currently monitoring the situation,” it said.

Earlier claims by ISIS-affiliated group Wilayat Sinai that it was responsible for downing the Russian airplane have been denied by both Egypt and Russia.

Air France and Lufthansa announced that they would stop flying over the area as a precaution while the cause of the Russian crash was investigated.