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Laos crash: 44 dead as plane goes down in Mekong River Laos crash: Dozens die as plane goes down in Mekong River
(about 1 hour later)
At least 44 people aboard a domestic flight in Laos were killed when the plane crashed in the south, officials in neighbouring Thailand say. Dozens of people were killed in southern Laos when a plane crashed into the Mekong River.
Seven of the dead are French nationals, officials in Paris said. Thais, Chinese and South Koreans were also killed. Foreigners from some 10 countries including seven from France were among the dead, as well as Laotian nationals.
The plane belonging to state-run Lao Airlines came down in the Mekong River on a flight from the capital Vientiane. The plane belonging to state-run Lao Airlines crashed in bad weather just before it was due to land at Pakse airport.
It crashed in bad weather just before it was due to land at Pakse airport, Lao Airlines said on its Facebook page. A Lao Airlines statement on Facebook gave a total of 49 dead; other earlier reports put the figure at 44.
It said there was no news of any survivors so far. The statement said there was no news of any survivors so far.
Half-submergedHalf-submerged
Flight QV301 came down about 8km (5 miles) from Pakse airport. Flight QV301 from the Laotian capital Vientiane came down about 8km (5 miles) from Pakse airport.
Thai foreign ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee said there were 39 passengers and five crew aboard the plane, citing information from the Thai Embassy in Vientiane. The Lao Airlines statement said there had been 44 passengers and five crew on the crashed plane.
Thai TV pictures show a plane half-submerged in the river, AFP news agency reports. Earlier, Thai foreign ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee said there were 39 passengers and five crew aboard the plane, citing information from the Thai Embassy in Vientiane.
Thai TV showed a photograph of a plane partly submerged in shallow water, its tail severed, next to a group of rescuers in small boats, Reuters news agency said.
A foreign national living in Pakse told the Bangkok Post by email of chaotic scenes as victims' bodies were brought in.A foreign national living in Pakse told the Bangkok Post by email of chaotic scenes as victims' bodies were brought in.
"The Chinese Temple in front of my house has become an emergency centre," he said."The Chinese Temple in front of my house has become an emergency centre," he said.
The crashed plane is believed to be an ATR 72 - a French-Italian manufactured twin-engine plane commonly used by airlines in the region.The crashed plane is believed to be an ATR 72 - a French-Italian manufactured twin-engine plane commonly used by airlines in the region.
Those on board are reported to also include five Thai nationals, three South Koreans and two Chinese citizens. Those on board also included five Thai nationals and three South Koreans and as well as citizens from Australia, Canada, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, the USA and Vietnam.
The flight between the capital Vientiane and Pakse is frequently used by foreign tourists, says BBC South-East Asia correspondent Jonathan Head. The route between the capital Vientiane and Pakse is popular with the growing numbers of tourists visiting Laos, says BBC South-East Asia correspondent Jonathan Head.
Lao Airlines is small company with just 14 aircraft in its fleet, and until now, a good safety record, our correspondent adds. Lao Airlines is small company with just 14 aircraft in its fleet and until now a good safety record, our correspondent adds.
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