The Comoros president yesterday called for calm in the aftermath of a plane crash that killed 152 people, as Yemenia cancelled all flights to the islands and thousands rallied in France.

President Ahmed Abdallah Sambi in a statement urged the Comoran community in France to show "calm and serenity at a time of contemplation and mourning to secure national and international solidarity."

Yemenia announced yesterday it had suspended all flights to the Comoros following last Tuesday's crash of an Airbus A310 near the islands' capital Moroni in which all but one of its 153 passengers and crew perished.

Meanwhile, at least 10,000 people - some wearing black armbands and carrying banners reading "Never again" and "Life is priceless" - marched in memory of the victims in the southern French city of Marseille, home to a large expatriate community.

Organisers put the number taking part at around 40,000.

The disaster has sparked protests among the Comoran community in France over the condition of the 19-year-old Airbus that Yemenia used on its Moroni service.

Yemenia said all flights had been suspended indefinitely.

"In light of serious incidents in recent days and major risks that some passengers posed to airport staff, our company and passengers, Yemenia has decided to no longer serve Moroni for an indefinite period from July 3 until the situation eases," it said in a statement.

Since the crash, survived only by a 12-year-old girl, members of the Comoran community have blocked check-in desks in Paris and Marseille for Yemenia flights to Moroni, prompting the airline last Thursday to suspend services from Marseille.