Chinese President Hu Jintao on Sunday sent a consolatory message to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the tragic crash of an A-310 passenger plane at a Siberian airport early of the day.

In the message, Hu, on behalf of the Chinese government and the Chinese people, expressed heartfelt consolation to the Russian government and the Russian people.

Hu also mourned dearly the victims in the crash and sent consolation to their relatives.

According to the Russian Interior Ministry, an A-310 jet of the Russian airline Sibir carrying 192 passengers, six flight attendants and two pilots veered off the runway and hit a building during landing at the Irkutsk airport at 03:00 a.m. (2300 GMT Saturday).

After collision with the building, the jet burst into flames.

The jet arrived in Irkutsk from Moscow's Domodedovo airport. Many of the passengers aboard were children going for vacation on Russia's famous Lake Baikal near Irkutsk.

The Irkutsk airport authorities said several foreign citizens were among the passengers aboard the plane.

Source: Xinhua