The Council President of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, expressed his agency"™s deepest regret and sorrow today for the families and friends of the victims of Metrojet Flight 7K9628, an international charter service from Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt to St. Petersburg, Russia, which was lost due to unknown causes on Saturday, 31 October.
«Any accident or incident resulting in loss of life is always a matter of utmost concern to ICAO and to the entire air transport community,» President Aliu remarked.
«No matter how safe or secure we make the air transport network, these types of events make our entire sector remember that no effort is ever enough, no solution ever a reason to stop seeking further improvement. Each and every day over 100,000 flights are safely and securely managed by the global air transport system and we accomplish this mainly through steadfast commitment and cooperation."
An Annex 13 accident investigation into the loss of Flight 7K9628 should be launched shortly, and eventually its Final Report will provide as much official information as possible on the causes of the event, as well as recommendations applicable to stakeholders who can aid in the mitigation of associated accident risks and causes in the future.
