Media: Russian plane with 224 people onboard crashes in North Sinai - UPDATED

Baku. 31 October. REPORT.AZ/ A Russian airliner has crashed in central Sinai with more than 200 people on board, the office of Egypt's prime minister has confirmed.

Report informs referring to the BBC, the Airbus A-321 had just taken off from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, on its way to the Russian city of St Petersburg.

There were conflicting reports about the fate of the plane, some suggesting it had disappeared over Cyprus.

Most of the passengers are said to be Russian tourists.

The plane is operated by the Russian airline Kogalymavia. Latest reports say it is carrying 217 passengers and seven crew.

According to the latest information, the Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsiya said in a statement that flight 9268 left Sharm el-Sheikh at 06:51 Moscow time (03:51 GMT) and was due into St Petersburg's Pulkovo airport at 12:10.

The authority added that the aircraft failed to make scheduled contact with Cyprus air traffic control 23 minutes after take-off and disappeared from the radar.

*11:58 

The Russian passenger plane has left Egypt’s airspace before disappearing from radars near Cyprus’ Larnaca, Report informs referring to the Russian mass media, Sky News Arabia TV channel reported on Saturday.

The plane that took off from the Sharm el-Shaikh airport in the morning was carrying 212 people.

It was earlier reported that the plane crashed in the central part of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.

The Egyptian Embassy’s consular department is checking the information about the Russian plane.

Egypt’s PM says Russian passenger plane crashed in Sinai.

The civilian airliner that lost contact with air traffic controllers and was feared crashed in Egypt’s Sinai has contacted Turkish air traffic controllers, Reuters reported on Saturday citing Ayman al-Muqaddam, the head of the central air traffic accident authority in Egypt.