Until there’s a more detailed analysis of the voice and flight data recorders from Metrojet Flight 9268, conflicting media reports of possible causes of the jet’s crashin Egypt on Saturday are bound to continue. Meanwhile,U.K. authorities have halted flights from a popular resort area in the region, fueling fears it was a terrorist attack.A government spokesman told the BBC that the groundings are a “precautionary step and we are working closely with the airlines on this approach.” A New York Times report quoted Prime Minister Davis Cameron saying the jet, with 224 people aboard, “may well have been brought down by an explosive device.” The report also cited an unnamed European official who said data on the A321’s flight recorder suddenly stopped, supporting that theory.News reports also continue to cite satellite data showing one to two flashes at the time of the crash. An ISIS affiliate has claimed responsibility for taking down the aircraft although authorities have said the group doesn’t have such ground-to-air capabilities.
Meanwhile, ADS-B datarecordings published online — which investigators don’t rely on — indicate the jet appeared to have gone through violent dives and climbs reaching up to 8,000 feet per minute, pointing to speculation of a catastrophic mechanical failure or breakup. A CBS News report built on that idea, saying the tail section, which had a ground strike 14 years ago, was found nearly three miles from the wreckage of the fuselage. The aircraft took off from the resort city of Sharm El Sheikh for St. Petersburg just after 6 a.m. Saturday and was climbing through 33,500 feet when its flight path became erratic prior to the crash.
