Putin sends condolences
2004-01-03 12:55
Moscow - Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to his French and Egyptian counterparts Jacques Chirac and Hosni Mubarak on Saturday after 148 people died when an Egyptian plane crashed in the Red Sea.
In a telegram to the French and Egyptian leaders, Putin voiced his "sincere sympathy to the families and relatives of those who died", the Kremlin press service said in a statement.
Some 135 French tourists were aboard the Flash Air jet that came down in the Red Sea early Saturday minutes after taking off from the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
The plane, which was heading for Cairo to refuel before continuing to Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, also carried 13 Egyptians, six of them crew, officials in Cairo said. - AFP
- SAPA