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Russia and
Western governments have said the Airbus A321 operated by
Metrojet was likely brought down by a bomb, and the Islamic
State militant group said it had smuggled an explosive on board.
But Egypt's civil aviation ministry said it had completed a
preliminary report on the crash and said it had so far found no
evidence of a criminal act.
"The technical investigative committee has so far not found
anything indicating any illegal intervention or terrorist
action," the ministry said in a statement.
The crash hit Egypt's tourism industry, a cornerstone of the
economy. The plane took off from Sharm al-Sheikh, a Red Sea
resort popular with Russian and British holiday makers.
It raised serious questions about airport security with Russia
and Britain both suspending flights into Sharm al-Sheikh.
Egypt is facing a two-year Islamist insurgency in the Sinai that
killed hundreds of soldiers and police. Islamic State said the
bombing was in response to Russian air strikes in Syria.
(Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein and Lin Noueihed; Writing by
Ahmed Aboulenein)
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