Nigerian officials say all 117 passengers and crew aboard a local airliner were killed when the plane crashed moments after takeoff from Lagos late Saturday.
Officials say they do not yet know why the Boeing 737 crashed. Controllers lost contact with the aircraft shortly after it took off into stormy weather. Media reports say the pilot issued a distress call just before the plane disappeared from radar.
The plane was operated by Bellview Airlines, and was en route from Lagos to Abuja.
The wreckage of the plane was found near the village of Lissa, about 30 kilometers north of Lagos. A Nigerian Red Cross official said the aircraft was shattered into pieces.
Information for this report is provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
