Laos Plane Crash Kills High Ranking Government Officials [Video]

The Laos plane crash has been confirmed to have been carrying high-ranking officials for the country that is located between Thailand and Vietnam. Although reports vary on the number of people in the plane, it’s said that either 18 or 20 people were on board and the Prime Minister’s office is coordinating the search for survivors.

In a related report by The Inquisitr, another Laos plane crashed killed all 49 passengers this past fall. The plane, operated by Lao Airlines, was on approach to the southern city of Pakse when it ran into bad weather. The propeller plane was preparing to land in Paske when a gust of wind appeared to push it away from the airport. Instead of landing, it crashed on or near an island in the Mekong river.

In the case of the latest Laos plane crash, a Russian-made Antonov AN-7KTK300 crashed in the Pek district of Xiangkhoung province. The site of the Laos plane crash was not far from one of Laos’ major archaeological sites, the Plain of Jars, which lies near the border with Vietnam. Photos of the plane crash show badly mangled wreckage and rescue workers have been working to dig out the badly charred debris in order to hopefully reach any survivors located within.

Reports do not yet say whether or not there are any survivors at all in the Laos plane crash, but a broadcast from a Thai television program seems to show some of the victims clothed in military uniforms. But Laos has confirmed that several government officials have been killed, including Defense Minister Douangchay Phichit and his wife, said Nipat Thonglek, the Thai defense ministry’s secretary. The governor of Vientiane, Sukhan Mahalad, and two other senior officials were also killed in the plane crash.

The government has not yet announced the cause of the Laos plane crash.

[Image via YouTube]