Fury at BBC for airing Dr Who episode showing passenger jet being blown out of the sky just a week after 224 were killed in Russian jet tragedy

Viewers have vented their fury at BBC after last night's episode of Doctor Who showed a plane being shot out of the sky by a missile - just a week after 224 people were killed in the Russian jet tragedy. Fans took to social media to say the timing of the episode was 'insensitive' given the suspected terror attack on the Russian Metro-jet, which left the holiday resort of Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt, killing all on board.

It also comes just days after Britain and the US indicated that Islamist terrorists could have brought down the jet, which was en route to St Petersburg in Russia, with a bomb.

In recap scenes that were shown on last night's Doctor Who, an evil doppelganger of the doctor's assistant Clara, was seen firing a missile at a plane

She shoots at the plane with the with the intention of killing the doctor and all of the others on board

The missile is seen hitting the plane before it explodes and is brought to the ground where viewers were shown the burning wreckage. In last night's Doctor Who, the episode opened showing recap scenes of an evil doppelganger of the doctor's assistant Clara, played by Jenna Coleman, firing a missile at the plane. Previously, Clara had been duplicated by evil Zygons and shot at the plane with the intention of killing the Doctor and others on board.

The jet is successfully blown up and the wreckage is seen burning on the ground.

But some viewers watching the episode were horrified and vented their fury on Twitter.

Kyle Johnson wrote: 'Surprised the BBC would show a plane being shot down given recent events.

Will Cummings said: 'Given the situation in Egypt, perhaps blowing up a plane on this week's episode of Doctor Who was not wise.'

Pamela Hunter posted: 'Can't believe #doctorwho showed a plane being shot out of the sky given the current news #insensitive. While Scott McKean tweeted: 'Maybe the @bbc showed have postponed this Dr Who episode based on the events of this week. Pretty insensitive to go ahead.' However, a BBC spokesman told the Sunday Mirror: 'Part two of the Zygon Invasion saw a duplicate Clara use a bazooka in an attempt to kill The Doctor on a plane. 'The episode was clearly signposted as science fiction set in a fantasy world and no one died in the scene.'

A spokesman for the BBC defended the episode, saying it was clearly signposted as science fiction set in a fantasy world. The Airbus A321 crashed down last week just 23 minutes into its flight from Egypt to Russia killing all 224 passengers and cabin crew on board. It is suspected Islamist terrorists brought down the jet – flying from Sharm to St Petersburg – possibly involving a bomb in the hold. Yesterday it emerged that Egypt is looking through airport cameras for 'unusual activity among policemen or staff'.

Officials said they 'want to determine if... anyone sneaked past security officials or metal detectors'. The comments marked the first sign that Egyptians suspect the plane was brought down deliberately.