A military plane crashed in southern Morocco, 80 people on board, in one of the country’s worst air disasters.

A military plane crashed in southern Morocco, 80 people on board, in one of the country’s worst air disasters.

Three people were reported to have survived the attack which took place when the plane slammed into a mountain about five miles from the city of Guelmim.
The plane, a C-130 used for troop transport, belonged to Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces was carrying 60 members of the Moroccan military, 12 civilians and 9 crew members.

The army said initially that 78 people were killed. A hospital source later told AFP later that two injured who had been rushed to hospital had died of their wounds.

The army statement blamed the accident on "bad weather conditions".
"Above all, it was the fog and bad weather conditions that are believed to be behind this accident. But for the moment, we don't have enough information," an interior ministry official said.

King Mohammed VI announced three days of national mourning following the crash, one of the deadliest in the country's history.

"His Majesty the King ... and chief of the royal armed forces decrees three days of national mourning, starting on Tuesday, and the national flag will be lowered," the state-run MAP news agency announced.
An official also said the king had sent a message of condolence to the families of the victims.