2014 Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force An-74 crash
Antonov An-74TK-300 | |
| Operator | Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force |
|---|---|
| Registration | RDPL-34020 |
| Flight origin | Wattay International Airport, Vientiane, Laos |
| Destination | Xieng Khouang Airport, Phonsavan, Laos |
| Occupants | 17 |
| Fatalities | 16 |
| Survivors | 1 |
On 17 May 2014, an
Accident
Between 6:15 and 07:00 (
Aircraft
The aircraft involved was a Ukrainian-built
Passengers
Initial reports suggested that there were fourteen passengers,[8] but later reports gave the figure as twenty on board at the time of the accident,[9] only three were reported to have survived.[6] Once the situation became clearer, the passenger count was given as seventeen[7] and the death toll was given as sixteen, with one survivor after the other two original survivors died from their wounds.[10]
Those killed included:[8][11][12]
- Douangchay Phichit, Politburo member of Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense
- Thongbanh Sengaphone, Secretary of Lao People's Revolutionary Party and minister of Public Security
- Cheuang Sombounkhanh, Secretary of Lao People's Revolutionary Party and Head of the Propaganda and Training Commission
- Vientiane
A Thai news source said that the co-pilot, a nurse, and another person had survived.[8] The defence ministry permanent secretary in Thailand said that the Defence Minister of Laos and four others had been killed,[6] and a witness also said that the Defence Minister had died, and gave the figure of fourteen deaths.[3]
Reactions
The death of "arguably the two most powerful people in the security apparatus" was reported to be a significant blow to the ruling Lao People's Revolutionary Party.[11] After the crash, a three-day period of national mourning was announced.[12][13]
References
- ^ Network News, Australia. "Laos plane crash: Five officials including Laotian defence minister killed as military plane crashes in country's north". ABC News. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- ^ a b c "Plane crashes in Xiengkhouang province '". KPL. 17 May 2014. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- ^ a b c "Laos air force plane crashes, defence minister reported dead". Reuters. 17 May 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- ^ a b c Peng, Fu (17 May 2014). "At least five confirmed dead, three survive in air crash in northeastern Laos". Xinhuanet. Archived from the original on 20 May 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- ^ a b c "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- ^ a b c "Laos Defence Minister Douangchay Phichit's plane crashes". BBC News. 17 May 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- ^ a b "Technical Error Behind Laos Plane Crash". New Indian Express. 20 May 2014. Archived from the original on 20 May 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
- ^ a b c "Lao deputy PM dies in plane crash". Bangkok Post. 17 May 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- Flightglobal. Singapore. Archived from the originalon 10 August 2014.
- ^ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
- ^ a b Fuller, Thomas (17 May 2014). "Crash in Laos Kills Top Government Officials". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- ^ a b Chaichalearmmongkol, Nopparat (18 May 2014). "Laos Declares Days of Mourning After Plane Crash". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ^ "Lao defence minister, top officials, lie in state after plane crash; investigation underway". Ottawa Citizen. 19 May 2014. Archived from the original on 20 May 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
