Passengers of a flight from the Egyptian resort of Hurghada gather shortly after their arrival at Domodedovo airport outside Moscow, Russia, November 7, 2015. PHOTO: REUTERS
President Vladimir Putin ordered the flight suspension on Friday, a possible sign that Russia is attaching more credence to the theory that a bomb brought down the Russian passenger jet in Egypt a week ago, killing all 224 people on board.
"Today the number of tourists in Egypt was clarified, it is around 80,000," RIA news agency quoted Dvorkovich as saying.
Russian plane black boxes point to 'attack'
"The Egyptian military has taken control of the operation to put passengers on flights," he added. Russia will be wanting to avoid the chaotic scenes endured by thousands of British holidaymakers stuck in Red Sea resorts after Egypt slashed the number of flights it would allow to take them home.
Oleg Safonov, head of Russian state tourism agency Rostourism, said 1,200 Russian tourists had returned home and future flights would be leaving without hold luggage.
"A planned process to evacuate tourists will be executed," Russian news agencies quoted Safonov as saying.
Russia suspends flights to Egypt on security advice
"Planes will arrive empty and be boarded by those tourists who should return home on that date." The Russian Travel Industry Union said nearly all Russian tourists due to visit Egypt in the coming days had agreed to fly to Turkey instead.
"In the near future, flights which should have flown to Egypt are being redirected to Antalya," the Interfax news agency quoted union spokeswoman Irina Turina as saying.
Russia to bury first Egypt plane crash victims
"Practically all tourists have agreed with this."
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