The crash occurred just three months after the bombing of a Tupolev Tu-154 and a Tupolev Tu-134 over Russia , which killed 90 people . At the time , investigators of the Russian bombings immediately found traces of explosives aboard the two planes . Investigators on the crash of Flight 5120 , however , stated that they did n't find any evidence of terrorism . State-run news agency Xinhua stated that investigators found no sign of other “ man-made destruction . ” Weather at the time of the crash was reported to be normal , although the temperature was below zero degrees Celsius . A rumor claiming that ice particles in the fuel caused the disaster was later disproven
Russian bombings
2004 Russian aircraft bombings
China Eastern Airlines Flight 5210