Metrojet Flight 9268 – Sinai Bombing
Date of Incident: October 31, 2015
Location: Hassana, North Sinai Governorate, Egypt
🧭 What Happened
Metrojet Flight 9268 was a chartered passenger flight from Sharm El Sheikh to Saint Petersburg. Twenty-three minutes after takeoff, the Airbus A321 disintegrated mid-air over the Sinai Peninsula. All 224 onboard were killed. Russian authorities later confirmed the cause was a terrorist bombing by ISIS’s Sinai branch.
✈️ Aircraft Details
Flight Number: 7K9268 / KGL9268
Aircraft Type: Airbus A321-231
Registration: EI-ETJ
Departure: Sharm El Sheikh International Airport (SSH)
Destination: Pulkovo Airport, Saint Petersburg (LED)
Fatalities: All 224 onboard
Survivors: 0
🔍 Key Factors
Russian investigators found traces of explosives on wreckage and passenger belongings. The bomb, estimated at 1 kg of TNT, was likely placed in checked luggage. ISIS claimed responsibility, citing retaliation for Russian military actions in Syria.
📆 Timeline of Events
- 03:50 UTC – Departure from Sharm El Sheikh
- 04:13 UTC – Last radar contact at FL308
- 04:13:20 UTC – FDR stops recording; aircraft breaks up mid-air
- 04:14 UTC – Debris begins falling over 20 km area
- 06:00 UTC – Wreckage located near Hassana
🎙️ Cockpit Voice & Flight Data
“We’re climbing through 30,800…” — Final crew transmission
The CVR captured routine climb communications before a sudden stop. No distress call was made. The FDR showed abrupt loss of altitude and airspeed. Both recorders were recovered and analyzed by Russian and Egyptian authorities.
⚙️ Aircraft Systems & Failures
- Improvised explosive device detonated in rear cargo hold
- Rapid decompression and in-flight breakup
- Tail section separated; debris scattered over 20 km
- No prior mechanical issues linked to the crash
🛡️ Aftermath and Reforms
- Russia suspended all flights to/from Egypt
- Egypt revised airport security protocols
- Global aviation security tightened for baggage screening
- Memorials held in Saint Petersburg and Sinai