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[h=4]Frustration grows for tourists stranded in Egypt[/h]Travelers struggle to get information on flights canceled in the wake of Russian jet crash.
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President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron both believe a bomb may have downed a Russian plane in Egypt.
Video provided by AFP Newslook
Tourists stand in line to have their belongings checked by Egyptian security forces in Sharm el-Sheikh on November 8, 2015.(Photo: Mohamed el-Shahed, AFP/Getty Images)
SHARM el-SHEIKH, Egypt<span style="color: Red;">*</span>— Frustrations mounted Sunday for thousands of<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Britons and other foreigners stranded in this resort city since the crash of a Russian charter flight over the Sinai more than a week ago.
Flights resumed<span style="color: Red;">*</span>over the weekend, but delays remained lengthy.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>On Sunday morning, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said 1,945 passengers had returned to the UK on Saturday and that more flights were leaving Sunday.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>EasyJet Airways said passengers should expect a three- to four-day delay.
Many Britons lounging<span style="color: Red;">*</span>on the beach and around pools were no longer enjoying their holiday.
"You can't actually do that much because you don't really know what's happening. <span style="color: Red;">*</span>Yesterday we thought we might fly, so we had to sit around,” said said Christos Christodoulou, who was scheduled to fly Monarch airways to London on Saturday after spending a week diving in the Red Sea. <span style="color: Red;">*</span>He was informed that his flight was canceled and he would have to wait.
“All I've done today was have a swim, then wait around, you can't really plan ahead," he said as he exited the pool.
USA TODAY
Sudden 'noise' on black box as Russian plane broke up in flight
USA TODAY
Russian plane crash in Egypt kills all 224 people aboard
Islamic State extremists claimed they brought down the doomed Airbus A-321<span style="color: Red;">*</span>but provided no evidence. All 224 people aboard died when the charter flight, bound for St. Petersburg, Russia, crashed over<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the Egyptian desert.
U.S. and British officials say<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the plane, carrying mainly Russian tourists, may have been blown up by a bomb.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Egyptian Foreign Minister<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Sameh Shourky bristled at the assertion, saying<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Egypt<span style="color: Red;">*</span>expected the information that had caused some countries to suspend flights to<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Sharm el-Sheikh<span style="color: Red;">*</span>"would be communicated to us instead of being broadcast” in the media.
With a backlog of flights, those due to fly out this week convened in resort lobbies to get information about the status of their flights. <span style="color: Red;">*</span>Many complained there was a lack of information from some airlines.
"The thing is, what we've heard from Monarch is 'Go to the airport,' but on all the British government websites and BBC News it says don't go to the airport, what should we do?" said Hannah Pierce, a real estate agent from London, whose flight was scheduled for Monday. She was told it would likely be cancelled.
"We also don't want to be stuck for five hours in all the chaos at the airport," she said.
Pierce said she felt safe and understood the need to increase security.
"It's just frustrating because we don't really know what's going on," she said. "We've been here since Monday and we've had no contact with anyone other than our families telling us whats going on. It's a bit of a nightmare."
While airlines like EasyJet told their passengers to stay at their hotels, others requested passengers to convene at airports where they would be bused to new hotels.
"With EasyJet, they made it so easy, but with Monarch, it's a different arrangement, you have to go to the airport," said Ziad Al-Sayyah. <span style="color: Red;">*</span>"I'm going to miss work, everyone back home is worried."
The investigation into the crash was continuing. On Saturday, the head of the Egyptian investigation team said a<span style="color: Red;">*</span><span style="color: Red;">*</span>"noise" from an undetermined source was<span style="color: Red;">*</span>heard immediately<span style="color: Red;">*</span>before the black box went dark.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Ayman el-Muqadem said his team was "considering all possible scenarios for the cause of the accident" and has<span style="color: Red;">*</span>not yet reached any conclusions. The Egyptian-led team also includes members from<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Russia, France, Germany and Ireland.
Egyptian airport and security officials said an investigation has been launched into any local staff and ground crew in Sharm el-Sheikh that came into contact with the downed Russian Metrojet flight.
The officials told AP<span style="color: Red;">*</span>on Saturday that authorities were questioning airport staff and have begun surveillance on those who worked on the jet.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>The officials<span style="color: Red;">*</span>spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to brief reporters.
The airport at Sharm el-Sheikh has long seen gaps in security, reports the AP, including a key baggage scanning device that often is not functioning and lax searches at an entry gate for food and fuel for the planes, according to seven<span style="color: Red;">*</span>security officials at the airport.
Contributing: John Bacon in McLean, Va.
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