Vatican City, May 20, 2016 / 08:58 am
Pope Francis has voiced his prayers and condolences to all those affected by the apparent crash of an EgyptAir plane in the Mediterranean Sea Thursday morning.
"Having learned with sadness of the tragic crash of the Egyptian passenger airliner, Pope Francis wishes to assure you of his prayers and solidarity at this difficult time," said a telegram from Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin to Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
It added that the Pope "commends the souls of the deceased of various nationalities to the mercy of the Almighty."
"Upon the relatives of the passengers and all those involved in the search and rescue efforts, His Holiness invokes the divine blessings of strength and peace," the telegram said.