More than 70,000 Russian tourists have been evacuated from Egypt since the crash of Kogalymavia flight 9268 in the Sinai Peninsula last month, said an adviser to the head of the Rosturizm watchdog, the TASS news agency reported.
There are about 5,000 Russian vacationers left in the country, said Svetlana Sergeyeva: about 3,000 in Hurghada and about 2,000 in Sharm El-Sheikh.
Tourists and their luggage have been evacuated from Egypt separately. Military transport aircraft have been used to deliver luggage to Moscow, where ground services are responsible for unloading and sorting it.
About 480 tons of luggage had been transported back to Russia as of Nov. 13, according to the Emergency Situations Ministry.
Egypt is the second most popular foreign destination for Russian tourists after Turkey. According to the BBC, 3 million Russians visited Egypt in 2014, making up one-third of all visitors to the country.
Russian banned all flights to Egypt on Nov. 6. The ban is going to last for several months at least, the head of the presidential administration, Sergei Ivanov, said last week.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
