REUTERS

Russia and Western governments have said the Airbus A321 operated by Metrojet was likely brought down by a bomb, and the Islamic State militant group said it had smuggled an explosive on board, Reuters reports.

But Egypt's civil aviation ministry said it had completed a preliminary report on the crash and said it had so far found no evidence of a criminal act.

"The technical investigative committee has so far not found anything indicating any illegal intervention or terrorist action," the ministry said in a statement.

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The crash hit Egypt's tourism industry, a cornerstone of the economy. The plane took off from Sharm al-Sheikh, a Red Sea resort popular with Russian and British holiday makers.

It raised serious questions about airport security with Russia and Britain both suspending flights into Sharm al-Sheikh.

Egypt is facing a two-year Islamist insurgency in the Sinai that killed hundreds of soldiers and police. Islamic State said the bombing was in response to Russian air strikes in Syria.