ID :
303511
Sun, 10/20/2013 - 07:49
Auther :

Strong currents pose difficulty in search for Lao plane crash victims

BANGKOK, October 19 (TNA) - Strong currents of the Mekong River, coupled with the fast approaching of the winter season, have posed difficulties in ongoing attempts to search for more bodies of victims, including five Thai nationals, in a Lao Airlines domestic plane crash in the river earlier this week. Sek Wannamethee, Director-General of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of Information, told journalists of the problem on Saturday, citing reports sent by the Thai consulate in Laos' Savannakhet Province. Sek said search teams have been forced to work fast because of the strong currents of the Mekong River, while the sky has darked too quickly due to the approaching winter. Sek acknowledged that the verification of bodies is also another problem and Lao authorities have sought Thailand's support for corpse freezers. According to the senior official, the verification process has not yet found any body of the Thai nationals, but relatives of three out of the five Thai victims have arrived in Pakse, the capital city of Laos' Champasak Province, while his ministry is contacting relatives of the two other Thai victims. The ill-fated Lao Airlines ATR-72 turboprop plane, carrying 49 passengers and crew members crashed into the middle of the Mekong River while it was en route from Vientiane, Laos' capital, to Pakse Airport last Wednesday evening, with all those on board believed to have been dead. So far, about 30 bodies have been discovered and 20 of them could be verified. Meanwhile, Thailand has already sent 30 corpse freezers and 50 corpse bags to assist Lao authorities in the identity verification process. Kanchit Kongsomkong, chief of northeastern Ubon Ratchathani Province's disaster prevention and mitigation office, said that Thai authorities have hired the corpse freezers from local temples and shops at a cost of 3,000 baht each a day with the Lao Airlines being responsible for all the expense. Ubon Ratchathani Deputy Governor Suthinan Boonmee noted that his deputy for security affairs, Colonel Wen Champasa, has been sent to Pakse to coordinate assistance from Thailand to Lao authorities. (TNA)

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