AKIPRESS.COM - Christophe de Margerie, the chief executive of French oil company Total, has died in an air crash in Moscow.

Airport spokeswoman Elena Krylova said: "Tonight, a plane crashed when it collided with a snow-clearing machine. Three crew members and a passenger died."

"I can confirm that the passenger was Total's head de Margerie," she said.

Mr de Margerie had been chief executive of Europe's third largest oil company since 2007.

The company has confirmed his death.

Russia's emergencies ministry said in a statement that the accident had involved a Falcon-50 plane shortly before midnight Moscow time (20:00 GMT) on Monday.

The jet had been due to fly to Paris. The three crew members were all French.

Total is a partner in Kazakhstan's oil giant Kashagan project consortium under the operator of the project.