Doubts rise over ISIS involvement in Russia plane crash

Russian and Egyptian authorities have not confirmed the involvement of Islamic States of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in the crash of Metrojet's Airbus A-321, which killed over 224 passengers, mostly Russians.

Earlier, an Egyptian extremist group affiliated to ISIS claimed the responsibility to bring the plane down.

However, Russia's transport minister Maksim Sokolov has stated that ISIS claims 'can't be considered accurate'.

The Egyptian army spokesperson Mohamed Samir is also doubtful about the claim and said that presently there is no proof of ISIS involvement in the crash, despite whatever their statement state, The Guardian reported.

The cause of the crash can only be determined when the Civil Aviation Authority in coordination with Russian authorities completes its investigation, he added.

The investigation team has recovered both the black boxes of the 18-year-old plane and the investigation has begun to find the true reason behind the crash.

The investigators are focusing on the possibility of the technical failure that caused the plane to crash. They are also checking fuel samples from the last refuelling stop.

A source in the Sharm el-Sheikh airport stated that the crew of the A321 had appealed to the airport's technicians over 'engine start failures several times over the past week', the national daily reported.

Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi expressed condolence to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during their telephonic conversation.

Putin promised maximum participation of Russian specialists in the investigation into find the cause of the crash.

On Saturday, Metrojet's Airbus A-321 travelling from Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt to Russia's St Petersburg, carrying 224 passengers including flight crew crashed in a mountainous area of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, killing all aboard.