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Submitted by ctv_en_4 on Mon, 10/30/2006 - 09:19
A Nigerian passenger jet crashed shortly after takeoff from the capital Abuja on Sunday and burst into flames, killing 99 people including the leader of the nation's 70 million Muslims.

Officials said 106 people were on board the Boeing 737 flight to the northern city of Sokoto when it crashed into a corn field about 2 km (1 mile) from the runway.

Among the dead were leader of the Muslim community Sultan of Sokoto Ibrahim Muhammadu, his son, the northern state's deputy governor, education commissioner and a senator, according to Sokoto State government spokesman Mustapha Sheu.

Seven people survived the crash and were taken to hospitals. A female was in a critical condition and the rest remained stable, said doctors.

Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Bafarawa announced six days of mourning for the sultan and the other victims of the crash.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nasir el-Rufai said the crash took place in bad weather, but added that only a detailed investigation could determine the cause.

Sunday's crash is Nigeria's third fatal air crash in less than a year. On October 23, 2005, a Bellview Airlines plane went down in bad weather near Lagos, killing all 117 people on board. An aircraft operated by Sosoliso Airlines crashed in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, on December 10, killing all 108 on board including many schoolchildren on their way home for the holidays.

Reuters/CNN

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