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Showing results for tags 'Lao crash'.
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Hopefully none of ours (ladyboyz) were in this tragic crash into the Mekong. Story below. Source ABC Australia http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-16/six-australians-killed-in-laos-plane-crash/5027442 A Lao Airlines plane has crashed into the Mekong river in Laos with neighbouring Thai officials confirming 44 deaths. The twin engine turbo plane was on a domestic flight from the capital Vientiane en route to Pakse International Airport which borders the Mekong. It was carrying 39 passengers and five crew members when it crashed in bad weather on Wednesday afternoon local time. A Thai official says there are no survivors. Thai foreign ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee says Laos officials informed Thailand that five Thai passengers were among the 44 people on board the flight, We have been informed that all Thai passengers are dead," he told AFP, adding that he was unable to confirm if there were other casualties. Pictures on Thai television showed a small plane, half submerged in the river, with what appeared to be bodies lying on the banks. Thai foreign ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee said: "I can now confirm, according to our reports, that all 44 people on board have died, including five Thai". Also understood to be among the dead were 17 Lao, seven French, three South Koreans, one American, one Chinese, one Taiwanese, one Canadian and two Vietnamese. French foreign minister Laurent Fabius said he had learned of the deaths with "deep shock and great sadness" and that France was rushing embassy officials to the site of the crash. A statement from the airline said rescue units had been sent to the scene in the hope of finding survivors and it would be informing relatives of the passengers. It said it was investigating the cause of the crash. The QV301 flight set off from Vientiane on time at 2:45pm (local time) and was supposed to arrive in Paske just over an hour later, but crashed as it prepared to land. A spokesman from aircraft manufacturer ATR, in France, said the flight was one of its twin-engine turboprop ATR-72 planes, of which the airline has a fleet of six.
