The United States on Wednesday extended condolences to the people of Brazil over the airplane crash in Sao Paulo that killed nearly 200 people, calling it a “terrible tragedy.” “We would like to extend our condolences to the Brazilian people. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who lot friends and loved ones in the plane crash yesterday,” said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack. “This is a terrible tragedy.” U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was expected to call her Brazilian counterpart, Celso Amorim, later on Wednesday to personally extend Washington's condolences to Brazil, McCormack told reporters. On Tuesday, the airliner overshot the runway at Sao Paulo's airport and hit a building, leaving more than 200 people feared dead in what would be Brazil's deadliest air disaster. Sao Paulo State Governor Jose Serra said none of the 186 people aboard the Tam Airlines flight could have survived the crash, with temperatures in the blaze reaching 1,000 degrees Celsius. Rescuers spoke of about 25 other fatalities on the ground. Based on current information, there were no reports of Americans on board the flight, McCormack said.
