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Laos air crash site slowly gives up debris and bodies Laos air crash: rescuers lack equipment to find bodies
(about 4 hours later)
Rescuers in fishing boats pulled bodies from the muddy Mekong River on Thursday as officials in Laos ruled out finding survivors from a plane that crashed in stormy weather, killing 49 people from 10 countries. Exasperated officials in Laos said on Friday they lacked the equipment and manpower to find the fuselage and more than 30 bodies lost when a plane crashed and disappeared into the Mekong river two days earlier.
Backpacks, two broken propellers and passports were among the debris scattered on the riverbank where the Lao Airlines turboprop plane left deep skid marks in the ground before disappearing into the water on Wednesday. Lao Airlines flight QV301 crashed on Wednesday as it prepared to land in stormy weather at Pakse airport in southern Laos. All 49 people on board, more than half of whom were foreigners, are presumed dead.
Thai foreign ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee said search teams had recovered the bodies of 15 crash victims by the time their operations ended on Thursday because of darkness and the strong current. He said they were unable to immediately identify them. The last official count issued by Laos said only nine had been retrieved. As of Friday morning only 17 bodies had been found, none of which could be immediately identified, said Lao transport minister Sommad Pholsena.
Thailand is deeply involved in the search, providing skilled manpower and technology that its poorer neighbour lacks. "It's very difficult to find [bodies] under water," the minister told reporters at the crash site, where the rescue operation was stalled on Friday as teams in boats waited for instructions and the arrival of more help.
Divers at the site said they lacked sonar and other equipment that could help locate the black box and fuselage of the ATR-72 aircraft which is believed to have crashed on the riverbank before skidding into the water and sinking.
The rescue operation was also complicated by fast-moving currents in the muddy river and very poor visibility. Thai media reported that the river was about 8 metres (26 feet) deep in the area of the crash.
"If we could find [the plane] we would have found it already," the openly frustrated minister told reporters. "We're working very hard with our Thai friends."
Thailand is deeply involved in the search, providing divers from its navy and other skilled manpower that its poorer neighbour lacks.
Backpacks, two broken propellers and passports were among the debris scattered on the riverbank where the Lao Airlines turboprop plane left deep skid marks in the ground before disappearing into the water.
State-run Lao Airlines released an updated list of the 44 passengers' nationalities on Thursday. It said the flight included 16 Lao nationals, seven French, six Australians, five Thais, three Koreans, three Vietnamese and one person each from China, Malaysia, Taiwan and the US. A person who had been listed as a Canadian was instead added to the list of Vietnamese.State-run Lao Airlines released an updated list of the 44 passengers' nationalities on Thursday. It said the flight included 16 Lao nationals, seven French, six Australians, five Thais, three Koreans, three Vietnamese and one person each from China, Malaysia, Taiwan and the US. A person who had been listed as a Canadian was instead added to the list of Vietnamese.
Among the Australians on board was a family of four. Relatives released a photo of the family, Gavin and Phoumalaysy Rhodes and their two children, a three-year-old girl and a 17-month-old boy.Among the Australians on board was a family of four. Relatives released a photo of the family, Gavin and Phoumalaysy Rhodes and their two children, a three-year-old girl and a 17-month-old boy.
The other two Australians were a father and son. They were identified as Michael Creighton, a 42-year-old aid worker based in Laos who had worked for the United Nations, and his father, Gordon Creighton, 71, a retired teacher who was visiting his son.The other two Australians were a father and son. They were identified as Michael Creighton, a 42-year-old aid worker based in Laos who had worked for the United Nations, and his father, Gordon Creighton, 71, a retired teacher who was visiting his son.
"We have lost a father, a husband, a son, a brother, a fiance and a best mate in one tragic circumstance and we are trying to come to terms with our loss," the family said in a statement. Michael Creighton was living in Laos with his fiancee, who was not on the plane."We have lost a father, a husband, a son, a brother, a fiance and a best mate in one tragic circumstance and we are trying to come to terms with our loss," the family said in a statement. Michael Creighton was living in Laos with his fiancee, who was not on the plane.
An American man, Joel Babcock, from Nebraska and his wife Angelin of Malaysia were among the dead, the man's pastor, Rev Glen Wapelhorst, said.An American man, Joel Babcock, from Nebraska and his wife Angelin of Malaysia were among the dead, the man's pastor, Rev Glen Wapelhorst, said.
The director-general of Lao's department of civil aviation, Yakao Lopangkao, who was at the crash site, ruled out finding survivors.The director-general of Lao's department of civil aviation, Yakao Lopangkao, who was at the crash site, ruled out finding survivors.
"There is no hope," he said. "The plane appears to have crashed very hard before entering the water.""There is no hope," he said. "The plane appears to have crashed very hard before entering the water."
He said divers were still trying to locate the plane's fuselage. Some of the bodies were found by fishermen floating downstream as far as 20km (12 miles) from the crash site, he said. He said some of the bodies were found by fishermen floating downstream as far as 20km (12 miles) from the crash site, he said.
"We have asked villagers and people who live along the river to look for bodies and alert authorities when they see anything," he said."We have asked villagers and people who live along the river to look for bodies and alert authorities when they see anything," he said.
Fleets of small boats and inflatable rafts plied the muddy, vast waterway as part of the search, with men in life vests peering into the water.Fleets of small boats and inflatable rafts plied the muddy, vast waterway as part of the search, with men in life vests peering into the water.
The passengers included foreign tourists and expatriates working in Laos. Tourism has become a major source of income for Laos in the past decade. In 2012, the country received more than 3.3 million foreign tourists, who generated total revenue of more than $513m. The passengers included foreign tourists and expatriates working in Laos. Cambodian authorities said one of the plane's pilots was a 56-year-old Cambodian with more than 30 years' flying experience.
The area where the plane crashed is off the main tourist circuit in Laos, but is known for its remote Buddhist temples, nature treks and waterfalls.
Cambodian authorities said one of the plane's pilots was a 56-year-old Cambodian with more than 30 years' flying experience.
Details of the crash remained murky. Lao Airlines said in a statement on Wednesday that the plane took off from the capital, Vientiane, and "ran into extreme bad weather conditions" as it prepared to land at Pakse. The crash occurred about 7km from the airport.Details of the crash remained murky. Lao Airlines said in a statement on Wednesday that the plane took off from the capital, Vientiane, and "ran into extreme bad weather conditions" as it prepared to land at Pakse. The crash occurred about 7km from the airport.
The airline said it had yet to determine the cause of the crash of the ATR-72 aircraft, which had been delivered in March.The airline said it had yet to determine the cause of the crash of the ATR-72 aircraft, which had been delivered in March.
French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR said in a statement that "the circumstances of the accident are still being determined". It said that it would assist in the investigation, which will be led by Lao authorities.French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR said in a statement that "the circumstances of the accident are still being determined". It said that it would assist in the investigation, which will be led by Lao authorities.
It was the first fatal crash for the state carrier since 2000, when two crashes left 23 people dead.It was the first fatal crash for the state carrier since 2000, when two crashes left 23 people dead.
France's accident investigation agency said in a statement that it was sending four investigators to help Laos investigage the cause of the crash. The statement said the team would work with technical advisers from ATR.
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