The bodies of three Thai Lao Airline crash victims of the flown back to Thailand

The bodies of the three Thai passengers that lost their lives in the Laos Airlines crash were flown back to Thailand in a C-130 air force plane on Tuesday. The plane left Pakse in southern Laos at around 2pm local time carrying the victims and members of their families. The plane arrived at Wing 6 at Don Mueang airport in Bangkok at just before 5pm local time.

The aircraft also dropped off ten navy divers and officials at U-Tapo airbase in Rayong on its way from Lao to Bangkok and brought home thirteen officers of the supreme command and ten police divers who also took part in the recovery operation.

The Thai victims have been named as Phakkawat Atriratnachai, Kanueng Chartkasamchai and Veekj Busarawuthanu. A fourth Thai victim has been identified as PTT Pic engineer Yanyong Apaanan, his body is expected to be brought to Thailand on Wednesday. A fifth Thai passenger has yet to be found. Kanueng’s remains will be taken to his home district of Wiset Chai Chan in Ang Thong, Phakkawat ‘s remains were flown to Hat Yai and Veekij was returned t o Kanchanaburi.

Laos Airlines have a agreed to pay one hundred and fifty five thousand baht compensation to the families of the victims. Kanueng’s father was waiting at Don Mueang airport to receive this son’s body and he said that the financial compensation would in no way cover the loss his family felt and he intends to fight for a higher level of compensation.

All forty four passengers and crew died when flight QV301 crashed into the Mekong River last Wednesday during harsh weather conditions when the pilots tried to land the plane at Pakse airport. The fuselage has still not been found or recovered. Signals from the aircrafts black box have been detected but no further light will be shed on the incident until it has been recovered.

Twenty six of the bodies have now been identified and it is hope that the others will be identified next week after DNA tests have been carried out in Bangkok

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