A solemn ceremony was held in Laotian capital Vientiane yesterday to commemorate 49 people who died in a plane crash in October, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.     

The ceremony was attended by high ranking Lao officials and representatives of embassies that lost citizens in the crash.      

A Lao Airlines ATR-72 plane plunged into the Mekong River on Oct 16 an hour after taking off from Vientiane, killing all 44 passengers and five crew.

More than half of those who died were foreigners from a dozen countries.     

The event has organised by the Lao Viet Insurance Company (LVI), Laos’ national flag carrier and the Lao Buddhist Coalition Central Committee.

- Bernama