A Russian source has confirmed reports by foreign media that a Kolavia Airbus A321 that crashed in Egypt on Saturday with more than 200 people on board was fully destroyed.

"The plane has been fully destroyed," a Russian source with knowledge of the situation told Interfax.

It was reported earlier that the plane's wreckage had been discovered.

Egyptian aviation authorities had confirmed earlier in the day that a Kolavia (Metrojet) aircraft crashed in the area of the city of Al-Arish in the central part of the Sinai Peninsula. They said rescuers had discovered the plane's wreckage near the Al-Arish airport.

Egyptian security services said also that, based on preliminary findings, the plane had not been shot down.