Nando Times

Plane crash kills Chad official, 3 others

The Associated Press

N'DJAMENA, Chad (February 15, 2001 9:29 a.m. EST http://www.nandotimes.com) - The architect of a landmark $3.5 billion oil pipeline deal in Chad was killed in a plane crash Wednesday along with three others.

Abderahman Dadi, a senior aide to President Idriss Deby, died Wednesday when the small plane in which he was returning from a regional economic meeting crashed as it approached to land at N'Djamena airport, authorities said. Also killed were planning minister Ahmat Lamine, the pilot and another passenger who was not immediately identified.

Dadi, a lawyer in his late 40s, also successfully defended Chad's claim at the International Court in The Hague to sovereignty over the northern Aouzou Strip against a Libyan counterclaim.

Visibility was poor as the aircraft approached from neighboring Cameroon to cross the Chari River that separates the two countries and hit a tree in the dense sand-laden fog.

Dadi is survived by his wife, Sarah Koumrallah, and several children.

Dadi helped negotiate the deal for the giant pipeline from oil wells in southern Chad to an Atlantic port in Cameroon. The project, operated by an Exxon Mobil Corp.-led consortium, was launched in October. The World Bank backed the deal after Chad agreed to ensure that 80 percent of the government's oil revenues go to development.

-- Rachel Gibson (rgibson@hotmail.com), February 15, 2001