The agency said the Royal Armed Forces C-130 jet, carrying military personnel, crashed into a mountain as it prepared to land at Guelmim's military air base. Guelmim is located about 830 kilometers southwest of the capital Rabat.

The plane crashed after taking off from Dakhla and was heading for the northern city of Kinitra.

"The crash caused by bad weather conditions has killed 78 people and seriously injured the other three," the Royal Armed Forces said in a statement carried by MAP.

A total of 81 people were on board the plane, including nine crew members, 60 soldiers and 12 civilians. The rescue team has found 42 bodies and sent the three survivors to the nearby military hospital, the military said.

It is Morocco's worst plane crash since 1973, when 105 passengers were killed after a Royal Air Maroc aircraft crashed near Rabat.

Xinhua