Irish aviation experts arrive in Egypt for support

Three Irish aviation experts have landed in Egypt as part of the investigation into the crashing of a Russian airliner which killed all 224 people on board the Irish-registered aircraft.

According to a spokesman for the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), two inspectors from the Air Accident Investigation Unit and one inspector from the IAA travelled to the crash site in Egypt yesterday, offering support in the probe which is being led by Egyptian, Russian, and French authorities.

The unit said speculation about possible causes was “not considered appropriate” as Irish-based personnel set about aiding the investigation into the tragedy, which occurred when Kogalymavia Flight 9268 crashed in the Sinai peninsula on Saturday.

According to the IAA, the aircraft, an Airbus 321-200, was registered in Ireland to Willmington Trust SP Services (Dublin) Ltd, as EI-ETJ. That company owned the aircraft asset and leased the aircraft to the Russian airline Kogalymavia, which operated the aircraft under a Russian air operator certificate.

According to the IAA: “The safety oversight of the operation of the aircraft is undertaken by Russia under Article 83 bis Agreement of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

"This includes safety, operational maintenance oversight, training, etc, as part of the air operator certificate process. In that regard, and in common with all international airlines, the aircraft would have been subject to a continuous safety surveillance programme, including an approved series of checks on a daily, monthly, and annual basis.”

The IAA conducted an annual review of the aircraft certifications in April/ May this year in support of its annual certificate of airworthiness renewal process, and “all certifications were satisfactory at that point”.

Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe said he did not want to speculate about the crash but said the IAA was “superb” in its role overseeing aircraft safety.