11 bodies recovered from Lao plane crash site

0

VIENTIANE: 11 bodies have been recovered from the crash site of a Lao Airlines plane, said Civil Aviation director general Yakao Lopangkao.

The number rose after two bodies were discovered downstream from the crash site although the identities or nationalities of victims cannot be confirmed at this point.

Xinhua news agency learnt that the flight QV301 hit the riverbank of Done Kho Island before coming to rest in the Mekong in Wednesday’s crash, which appears to have no survivors.

According to Lopangkao, the plane fuselage has yet to be found.

“The Mekong river flow is very strong so maybe it has taken parts of the aircraft away from the site,” Lopangkao told Xinhua. “At the moment it’s rainy season so the water level is also very high.”

Lao and Thai rescue teams have been cooperating to locate the main body of the aircraft but so far have been unsuccessful.

“I think the cause of the accident was the weather, you may know that during that time there was a very heavy typhoon from Vietnam. Yesterday the centre of the typhoon was this area,” Lopangkao said.

The plane took off from Vientiane at 2:45 p.m. local time and was due to arrive at Pakse International Airport at 3:55 p.m. but crashed at 4:00 p.m. several kilometres from the airport.

A total of 44 people, including five crew, are believed to have died in the crash.

Lao Airline president Somphone Douangdara said the plane’s captain was an experienced Cambodian pilot and all indicators point to freak weather conditions as opposed to pilot error or technical fault.