BEIJING, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message of condolences on Sunday to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over the crash of a Russian airliner in Egypt, which killed all the 224 people onboard.

    In the message, Xi extended profound condolences to the victims of the crash and expressed sincere sympathies to the families of the victims.

    At the current sorrowful moment for the Russian people, the Chinese people firmly stand side by side with them, Xi said.

    Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who has been in Seoul, South Korea to attend the sixth China-Japan-South Korea leaders' meeting, also sent a message of condolences on Sunday to his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev.

    An Airbus A-321 operated by Russian airline Kogalymavia, with 217 passengers, most of whom are Russians, and seven crew members onboard, crashed early Saturday in the Sinai Peninsula shortly after it took off from Egypt's Red Sea Resort Sharm el-Sheikh. No survivor has been reported.

    Related:

    Putin gives order to take urgent measures on Russian plane crash in Egypt

    MOSCOW, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday ordered Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to create a state commission in response to the crash of a Russian airliner in Egypt, according to the Kremlin.

    Putin also ordered the Emergency Situations Ministry to send an aircraft to the crash site after coordinating with the Egyptian side.

    Meanwhile, Medvedev asked Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov to fly to Cairo, Egypt's capital, to organize all necessary work with regard to the plane crash.Full Story

    Israeli military helps locate wreckage of Russian plane

    JERUSALEM, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli military said on Saturday it has helped Egypt and Russia locate the remains of a Russian airplane that crashed over the Sinai Peninsula Saturday and will continue to assist both countries if needed.Full Story

    Wreckage of crashed Russian plane located in Egypt's Sinai

    CAIRO, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's Civil Aviation Ministry said that military planes have spotted the wreckage of a Russian plane that crashed earlier on Saturday in central Sinai with 224 passengers and crew on board.Full Story