Update | Lao Airlines plane crashes into Mekong River, killing all 49 on board

A Lao Airlines plane flying from the Laos capital Vientiane to the southern town of Pakse crashed into the Mekong River yesterday killing all 49 on board.

At least seven French citizens, six Australians and five Thais were among those who died when the plane carrying 44 passengers and five crew went down eight kilometres from the airport in Champasak province in southern Laos. Earlier reports had said there were 39 passengers on board.

One Chinese national and one Taiwanese were also among those killed, CCTV said the Chinese embassy had confirmed. The Bangkok Post listed them as Rui Gan and Chang Yu Liu respectively.

Pakse is a hub for tourists travelling to more remote areas in southern Laos.

The Ministry of Public Works and Transport, which operates the airline as a state enterprise, said: "Upon preparing to land at Pakse Airport, the aircraft ran into extremely bad weather conditions and reportedly crashed into the Mekong River."

It said there was no word of survivors. The airline flies an ATR-72 twin-engine turboprop plane on the 467-kilometre route.