Chinese President Hu Jintao
on Saturday sent separate messages of condolences to the leaders of
Egypt and Saudi Arabia after the Egyptian ferry Al Salaam 98
carrying some 1,400 people aboard sank in the Red Sea.
In the messages, Hu, on behalf of the Chinese government and
people and in his own name, offered the deepest condolences over
the loss of life in the ferry tragedy in which hundreds were feared
drowned.
The Chinese president also extends his sincerest sympathies to
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul
Aziz, to the governments and peoples of the two countries and to
the bereaved families and survivors.
The Egyptian ship Al Salaam 98, with 1,310 passengers and 104
crew members, 22 cars, 16 trucks on board, disappeared from the
radar screens shortly after it left the Saudi port of Dubah at 7:30
p.m. local time (1630 GMT) on Thursday.
Rescuers have already recovered 185 bodies and at least?324
passengers have been rescued.
(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2006)