South African President Thabo Mbeki has conveyed his country's condolences to the families of the 96 people who died in the Nigerian airliner crash on Sunday.

 

Presidential spokesman Mukoni Ratshitanga said on Monday that Mbeki assured his Nigerian counterpart, Olusegun Obasanjo, of South Africa's "thoughts and prayers during Nigeria's period of grief."

 

"The President said the tragedy was felt not only in Nigeria but also throughout and beyond the African continent," Ratshitanga said in a statement.

 

Mbeki especially conveyed his condolences to the Nigerian Muslim community over the death of Muslim spiritual leader, Sultan Maccido, aboard the same flight.

 

He praised Maccido for his selfless character which gave him outstanding leadership qualities, Ratshitanga said.

 

The ill-fated Boeing 737 aircraft was owned by a private Nigerian airline, Aviation Development Co. It was carrying 100 passengers and five crew when it went down just moments after taking off from Abuja, Nigeria's capital.

 

The airline said 96 people died, including the pilot, and nine were taken to hospital in Abuja.

 

This was the third mass-casualty jet crash to hit this West African nation in less than a year.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 31, 2006)