LAO AIRLINES CRASHED INTO MEKOING

A Lao Airlines airplane crashed into the Mekong River at around 4:00 p.m. local time during a flight from Vientiane to Champassak, casualties at this point have not been confirmed.

A source, who works in aeronautical services and wishes to remain nameless can confirm that the flight in question, QV301, an ART twin-turbo aircraft, was carrying 40 passengers when it crashed. The plane took off from Vientiane at 2:50 p.m. and was due to arrive at 4:00 p.m. local time, crashing into the Mekong shortly before attempting a landing in bad weather.




Xinhua reporters have learned from various sources that the plane was carrying two Chinese passengers. The two Chinese passenger's English names are known but at this point the Consular Department of the Chinese Embassy in Laos has not been able to verify information with the airline's passenger manifest.