Recap: 102 die, one survives in Algerian plane crash

102 people died on March 6, 2003 when an Air Algerie jet crashed on take-off from Tamanrasset in Algeria. But one of those on board has survived.

At least 102 people were killed on March 6, 2003 when an Air Algerie plane crashed on take-off from Tamanrasset in southern Algeria, the APS news agency reported.

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One person survived the disaster in the Sahara desert, 1,900 kilometres south of the coastal capital Algiers, which had been the Boeing 737's destination, the Algerian news agency added.

Interior Minister Yazid Zehouni and Transport Minister Abdelmalek Sellal have left for Tamanrasset while the Algiers government has also set up a crisis unit, the agency said.

No details were immediately available of the cause of the crash, which occurred at around 2015 pm IST).

A technical committee has been set up to begin an investigation.

Another crisis team has been set up at Algiers airport to keep the families of those aboard the plane informed.