Second Level Brags.......26/10/2013 Laos mourns plane crash victims Government offices and mass organisations across Laos observed a minute’s silence yesterday afternoon in a moment of mourning for the 49 victims of last week’s plane crash in Champassak province. Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong and other high-ranking officials fell silent at 2.15 pm yesterday at the Government Office in Vientiane, at the same time as mourning ceremonies throughout the country. Traffic stopped on the streets in a sign of respect for the 49 people who were on board the plane that crashed in the Mekong River in Phonthong district’s Phaling village. An official ceremony was held in Pakxe, near the crash site, attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, Lieutenant General Duangchay Phichit, and other high-ranking officials. During the ceremony, Champassak provincial Governor Dr. Sonexay Siphandone released a report describing the tragedy and ongoing operation to recover victims’ bodies and the plane’s main fuselage. Dr. Sonexay said the government and people of Laos expressed their condolences over the deaths, which were a great loss for the victims’ families, friends and home countries. More than 40 bodies have been recovered from the Mekong but only 17 have been identified – nine of them Lao nationals. The nine identified bodies have been handed over to relatives. The remains of seven foreign nationals have been returned to their countries-of-origin: two from Vietnam and one each from Cambodia, Malaysia, the United States of America, China and Taiwan. A cremation ceremony for three Lao victims was held at That Foun temple in Vientiane yesterday. Thai frogmen returned home yesterday after several days spent helping with the recovery operation. National and local recovery teams are continuing the search for the remaining bodies. Lao Airlines flight QV301 departed Vientiane for Pakxe at 2.45 pm last Wednesday and crashed into the Mekong little more than an hour later. The accident is considered the worst aviation disaster in Lao history. The twin engine ATR 72-600 crashed 7 km. from Pakxe International Airport as it approached for landing. Officials believe the accident may have been caused by poor weather conditions in the wake of tropical storm Nari. Dr. Sonexay said the provincial authority had mobilised soldiers, doctors and other officials from across Champassak to help with recovery efforts.
Posted on: Wed, 23 Oct 2013 05:32:14 +0000
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