“I naturally want to send my condolences to the families and friends and send a word of solidarity to the men and women who work in the national Medical Emergency Institute who provide the Portuguese with such invaluable service", he said.

Speaking to Lusa News Agency in Abu Dhabi, António Costa said the “causes of the accident” would be discovered in time, but it was still too soon to talk about reasons.

The accident killed the entire crew of the pilot, co-pilot, doctor and nurse who were returning after delivering a patient to n Santo António hospital in Porto.