Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday offered his condolences to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over the deaths of dozens of Iranians at the recent Kyrgyzstan plane crash in the country's capital of Bishkek.

In his message, Hu said he was astonished to learn that dozens of Iranian citizens died in the Kyrgyzstan plane crash on Sunday. He expressed his deep condolences for the victims, their families and the injured on behalf of the Chinese government and people.

The plane, belonging to Kyrgyzstan's private airline Itek-Air, crashed shortly after takeoff from Bishkek airport, leaving some 70 people dead and 20 others injured.

(Xinhua News Agency August 27, 2008)