No news of survivors in Lao Airlines crash

VIENTIANE, Oct. 16 -- There is no news of survivors from Lao Airlines flight QV301 which crashed Wednesday with 44 passengers and 5 crew onboard, according to an announcement of Lao Ministry of Public Works and Transport and Lao Airlines.

The Chinese embassy has confirmed that two Chinese, one from mainland China and one from Taiwan region were onboard Lao Airlines crash.

Flight QV301 from Vientiane crashed into the Mekong at Done Kho Island, approximately 2 kilometers from its destination at Pakse International Airport in Champassak, according to state run news agency KPL.

According to an eyewitness the plane was about to land when its nose lifted as if hit by a strong wind, causing it to head away from the airport. The aircraft was soon found totally submerged at a location where road access was impossible.

A senior government official spoke to Xinhua via telephone while en-route to the crashsite and confirmed that eight bodies had already been recovered from the wreck.

Lao Minister of Public Works and Transport, Sommad Pholsena has dropped other official engagements and is now also making his way to the site.

The plane took off from Vientiane at 2:45 p.m. and was due to arrive in Pakse at 3:55 p.m. local time.