EGYPT (CENTRAL SINAI PENINSULA) UPDATE - The Airbus A321, operated by Russian airline Kogalymavia, was flying from the Sinai coastal resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to St Petersburg in Russia when it went down in a desolate mountainous area of central Sinai soon after daybreak. Flight KGL9268 left Sharm el-Sheikh at 05:58 local time (03:58 GMT). The aircraft went off the radar 22 minutes after take-off. The flight had been due into St Petersburg's Pulkovo airport at 09:10 GMT.

  

The Egyptian Civil Aviation Minister, Mohamed Hossam Kemal, has said it was "too soon to determine the cause" of the crash. Not much was said at the brief press conference by Russia's civil aviation ministry - a hotline has been set up for relatives of those on board and counselling is being offered. A full investigation has started into the crash and Russian authorities are co-operating with their Egyptian counterparts. Russian authorities say the plane was carrying 217 passengers, 138 of them women and 17 children aged between 2 and 17. Most were tourists. There were seven crew on board. Egyptian officials investigating the scene said there were no survivors.