Egypt today said there was "no evidence of a terrorist attack" or "illegal action" yet in the October crash of a Russian passenger plane that killed all 224 people on board and was earlier claimed by the ISIS.
Issuing its preliminary report, the Egyptian committee probing the crash of the Kogalymavia Airbus 321-200 on October 31 said that the body did not "receive any evidence" which indicates there was foul play in the downing of the plane.
Last month, Russia said that a bomb attack had brought down the ill-fated passenger jet as President Vladimir Putin vowed vengeance. The Egyptian air traffic control lost contact with the plane 23 minutes after it took off from the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh for St Petersburg early in the morning.
The Islamic State group which commands an affiliate in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula had claimed it had smuggled an explosive on board.
"The technical investigative committee has so far not found anything indicating any illegal intervention or terrorist action," Egypt's civil aviation ministry said in a statement.
Ayman el-Mokadem, head of the investigating committee, said the report was sent to the representatives of countries participated in the investigation and to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The report showed that the search was extended to more than 16 kms beyond the place of the crash in Sinai.
The statement issued by the committee added that it is "continuing its work", implying this is not the final conclusion of the investigators.
The report of the plane's black box had also showed that the same plane had flown on the same route for five days before the crash occurred.
