Morocco Plane Crash Has Death Toll of 78
In one of the worst air disasters in Moroccan history, a military transport plane crashed into a mountain on Tuesday morning in the southern region of the country killing at least 78 people.
Three people were reported to have survived with severe injuries while the search continues to recover bodies from the crash.
The Hercules C-130, a turbo-prop military transport plane made in the United States, was carrying 12 civilians, 9 crew members, and 60 members of the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces.
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Morocco's official state news agency, Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP), said the crash was "due to bad weather conditions."
However, the interior ministry officially stated that although it is believed fog and bad weather are the culprits behind the accident, "for the moment we do not have enough information."
The plane was only six miles away from its designated landing base in the remote mountainous area of Guelmim in the disputed region of Western Sahara located about 515 miles south of the capital of Rabat. The plane was making a stop-over in Guelmim as part of its route from the Western Saharan city of Dakhla to the northern Moroccan city of Kenitra.
According to a Royal Armed Forces statement, thus far only 42 bodies have been recovered. All three survivors and the 42 recovered bodies have been taken to a nearby military hospital. Officials at the nearby hospital have not been reached.
King Mohammed VI has offered his condolences to the families of the victims through a letter that stated that he was, "deeply moved by this painful accident."
King Mohammed VI has also declared a three-day national mourning for victims of the crash and their families, and has offered to pay for the expenses of funerals and hospitalization.
The last plane crash Morocco faced of this magnitude was in 1994, when a Royal Air Maroc aircraft crashed killing all 44 passengers and crew members. That crash also took place in the southern region of the country.
