Australia to help ID plane crash victims

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Australia to help ID plane crash victims

Killed in Laos plane crash: the Rhodes family.

Killed in Laos plane crash: the Rhodes family.

Two Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers will help to identify victims of the Lao Airlines crash which killed all on board including six Australians.

A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Lao authorities had agreed to accept an Australian offer of assistance with disaster victim identification (DVI).

Two AFP forensics members will deploy to Thailand to provide disaster victim identification assistance to the Royal Thai Police who are helping Laos authorities with recovery efforts.

AFP liaison officers from the Australian embassy in Bangkok have already deployed to Pakse, Laos, to assist international partners.

The Lao Airlines flight crashed into the Mekong River during a storm on Wednesday, killing all on board and including passengers from 11 countries.

The DFAT spokesman said Australia consular officials in Pakse and Vientiane were in close contact with local authorities.

"Recovery efforts are underway. This will be a difficult process and is expected to continue for some time. The recovery operation and investigation of the accident are the responsibility of local authorities," he said.

The spokesman said there was currently no official confirmation on identities of any Australian victims.

"DVI processes are carried out in accordance with Interpol Guidelines. DVI can be a lengthy and complex process," he said.

AAP

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