Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin has sent a telegram of condolences on behalf of the Holy Father for the victims of the air disaster in which more than thirty people were killed when a Turkish cargo aircraft crashed into a residential area near the international airport of Manas in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan, destroying part of the inhabited centre. The following is the full text of the telegram:

“Deeply saddened to learn of the tragic crash of a cargo plane near Bishkek, Pope Francis sends his condolences to all those who have lost loved ones, particularly in Manas, and commends the souls of the deceased to the mercy of Almighty God. In praying for the search and rescue efforts, His Holiness invokes upon the nation the divine blessings of strength and consolation”.