Chief executive of French oil company Total dies in Moscow plane crash

Christopher de Margerie’s corporate jet collided with a snow plough and was engulfed in flames. All four people on board were killed.

14:07 21 October 2014

Christopher de Margerie, the chief executive of French oil company Total, has died in an air crash in Moscow along with other thee people on board.

 

Reports say that the corporate jet collided with a snow plough and was engulfed in flames. Russian investigators say that the driver of the snow plough was drunk. 

 

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said in a statement: "France is losing an extraordinary business leader who turned Total into a world giant.”

 

"France is losing a great industry captain and a patriot."

 

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his condolences.

 

A Kremlin spokesman said: "The President highly appreciated de Mergerie's business skills, his continued commitment to the development of not only bilateral Russian-French relations, but also on multi-faceted levels."

 

Mr De Margerie spent his entire career at Total Group, which he joined in 1974. 

 

John Hofmeister, former president of Shell Oil, told the BBC: "It's a huge loss to the industry and its future focus.

 

"What he has done for Total in repositioning the company to return to integrity and sound operations is deeply respected and highly regarded."