Lao leaders pay respect to crash victims

Prior to the ceremony, Lao President Choummaly Sayasone, Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong and other high-ranking officials laid wreaths to pay their respects. 

The wreath-laying ceremony took place at several locations, where the bodies of the leaders were being kept prior to cremation.

According to the Ministry of National Defence, the Lao Air Force AN-74TK-300 aircraft carrying 17 people on a special flight from Vientiane crashed near Xieng Khuang airport on Saturday, killing 14.

Two others passengers succumbed to their injuries on Sunday.

Among those killed in the crash were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Lt-General Douangchay Phichit; Public Security Minister Thongbanh Sengaphone, head of the Propaganda and Training Board of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee Cheuang Sombounkhanh and Vientiane Mayor Soukanh Mahalath.

Prominent leaders were aboard the plane and were on their way to commemorate the 55th anniversary of the strategic gains made by Battalion II during the Indochina War after it broke through the enemy siege areas on the Plain of Jars in Xieng Khuang province on May 18, 1959.

The three survivors were transported to a hospital in Vientiane but no reports have been made on their condition so far.

The plane crashed during landing and was around 2km away from Xieng Khuang airport in Nadee village, Paek district. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Photos taken from the crash site showed that the aircraft crashed in a forest area and was severely damaged, leaving a large amount of debris at the site.