LEAD: 8 killed, 9 survive in Lao plane crash

Asian Economic News, Oct 23, 2000

BANGKOK, Oct. 20 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH CRASH SITE REACHED, SURVIVORS EVACUATED, DEATH TOLL)

At least eight people, including three foreigners, died in the crash of a Lao Aviation passenger plane in the northern district of Xamneua on Thursday, an airline official said Friday.

But nine people, including two pilots, survived.

The eight victims were five Lao citizens, an African, a German and a Singaporean.

The aircraft with 17 people aboard, including the pilots, crashed around noon Thursday in mountainous jungle about 20 kilometers from Xamneua airport, said the official of Lao Aviation, the state-run flag carrier.

The Chinese Y12 II, which had been in service with the airline since 1990, took off on a daily flight from Vientiane at 10:48 a.m., but crashed while approaching the airport in bad weather, he said.

Among the 17 people on board were the German, Singaporean and African victims and four Indians, the official said.

The nine survivors, including the two pilots, were evacuated from the area on Friday morning after a rescue team spent hours to reach the remote crash site.

The injured were transferred for treatment in Vientiane hospitals on an another plane that managed to land at Xamneua airport Friday afternoon, the official told Kyodo News by telephone.

In June, a Russian-built MI-8 Lao Aviation helicopter crashed in the northern province of Xienkhuang, killing all 18 passengers and crew on board.