Laos Airlines crash

Bad weather is being blamed for the crash of a Laos Airlines plane which plunged into the Mekong river in southern Laos killing all 49 people on board, among them nationals of 10 countries.

The ATR-72 turboprop plane flying from the capital Vientiane crashed at about 4.10 p.m. (0910 GMT) on Wednesday just eight kms (five miles) short of its destination Pakse, which is near the borders of both Thailand and Cambodia. (Reuters)