Burkina Faso mourns citizens killed Air Algerie plane crash

An Air Algerie plane preparing to land. Bukina Faso has declared two days of mourning after 28 nationals died in the Air Algerie Flight AH5017 crash in the district of Gossi in the southern Mali and not far from the Burkina border. PHOTO | AFP | FAROUK BATICHE

What you need to know:

  • Flight AH5017 flew off the Ouagadougou Airport on Wednesday night heading to Algeria but subsequently crashed.
  • The plane crashed in the district of Gossi in the southern Mali and not far from the Burkina border.
  • During the mourning period, flags in Bukina Faso will fly at half-mast across the country.

Burkina Faso on Friday began two days mourning over the Air Algeria plane which crashed killing 118 people including 28 Burkina Faso citizens.

Flight AH5017 flew off the Ouagadougou Airport on Wednesday night heading to Algeria but subsequently crashed.

The wreckage of the plane was found Thursday in Mali with no survivors.

During the mourning period, flags in Bukina Faso will fly at half-mast across the country while all public celebrations have been cancelled.

The official decree announcing the mourning was signed by President Blaise Compaoré on Thursday night.

The Burkinabé Minister for National Security who is heading an ad hoc committee has assured the families of victims that the government will do all it can to shed light on the circumstances leading to the crash and help them.

Families of victims are still waiting around the airport while others are reaching the committee through a telephone number that has been made public.

Commenting on the accident, a Communication Ministry statement said this was the first time such an incident had occurred and had shaken the entire nation and urged the families of victims to remain calm.

The plane crashed in the district of Gossi in the southern Mali and not far from the Burkina border, a presidential statement confirmed on Friday.