A witness told the radio as the aircraft accelerated down the runway ahead of take-off, one of its engines appeared to catch fire.
Source:ABC
All but one of the 103 people aboard an Air Algerie passenger plane died when it crashed on taking off from the Sahara desert town of Tamanrasset in southern Algeria, state media reports.
The disaster was the worst in Algeria since the country gained independence from France four decades ago.
Seven French citizens were among those who died in the crash, Algeria's APS news agency quoted airport officials as saying.
The French foreign ministry confirmed that several French nationals appeared to be among the dead, without giving details.
The sole survivor, a young soldier, was critically injured in the crash, which occurred 1,900 kilometres south of the coastal capital Algiers, local radio said.
An Air Algerie official said the crash, which happened at around 14:45 GMT appeared to be due to a technical problem.
A witness told the radio as the aircraft accelerated down the runway ahead of take-off, one of its engines appeared to catch fire.
Several witnesses say the Boeing 737-200 veered off its path and crashed 600 metres further on.
French President Jacques Chirac voiced his condolences to the relatives of the dead, in a message to his Algerian counterpart, Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
Mr Bouteflika issued a similar message to Mr Chirac expressing his sympathy for the French nationals who were killed.
South African President Thabo Mbeki also sent his condolences to Bouteflika, adding "our thoughts and prayers are with the Algerian people, in particular friends and family members of the victims".
The plane had been headed from Tamanrasset to Algiers, via the desert town of Ghardaia.
There were 97 passengers and six crew members on board, the official told national radio.
An Air Algerie official said 59 of the passengers had been going to Ghardaia and 38 to the capital.
Firemen, helped by customs officers, policemen, soldiers and volunteers swiftly mounted a rescue operation, local radio said.
The Government set up a crisis unit headed by Prime Minister Ali Benflis and dispatched the transport and interior ministers Tamanrasset, the media reported.
A second crisis team was formed at Algiers airport to inform the victims' families, who said they had waited there for at least two hours before obtaining any information about the fate of their loved ones.
Interior Minister Yazid Zerhouni said an investigation had been launched into the causes of the disaster.
A technician told Algerian radio the plane was one of three new Boeings recently acquired by Air Algerie, whose fleet is otherwise in need of renewal.