Did the Islamic State hit the Russian airplane with an antiaircraft weapon causing it to crash in Egypt, killing all 224 people onboard?

That would be one angle that investigators will have to look into as Kogalymavia (Metrojet), the Russian airline that owned the passenger jet that crashed on its way to St. Petersburg, Russia, claimed human or technical error was not the case of the crash.

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At a televised news conference on Monday, Kogalymavia Deputy Chief Executive Alexander Smirnov announced that the airline has completely ruled out a technical defect or pilot error as the cause of the mishap.

"The only explicable cause could be mechanical impact on the aircraft," Smirnov said, although he did not elaborate on his statement.

The Kogalymavia CEO also did not explain how the conclusion was reached, further adding confusion over the real cause of the crash.

Analysts said by "mechanical impact", Smirnov could be hinting that the plane was likely downed by an antiaircraft weapon, although experts said the plane was flying at a safe altitude.

The local affiliate of Islamic State immediately claimed responsibility for the plane crash but authorities were looking at other possible causes of the incident. Investigators said it was too early to provide firm conclusions.

The ISIS claim, however, could not be discounted considering that the US and European air safety authorities have warned airlines of the presence of antiaircraft weapons in the area.

The plane, an Airbus A321 was carrying 24 people from the Egyptian resort of Sharm El Sheikh in Sinai on its way to Russia's St. Petersburg. The resort is a popular destination for Russian tourists.

The ongoing investigation, which is still in its early stages, is led by Egyptian air-crash investigators, with assistance from Russian, German, Irish, and French experts. Airbus Group SE, which made the A321 aircraft, also sent a team to assist in the investigation.

The aircraft's black boxes have already been recovered and are undergoing analysis.

TagsISIS, Metrojet, Kogalymavia, Russia, Egypt