route from Vientiane; eight of 17 on board died. On 14 February 2002, Flight 702, a Harbin Y-12-II (registration RDPL-34118) crashed on the runway while taking off from Sam Neua Airport due to a wind gust; all 15 on board survived, but the aircraft was written off; the engines were sent to Singapore to be rebuilt, the fuselage was cut up and sent to Vietnam for scrap metal. On 16 October 2013, Flight 301, an ATR 72-600 (registration RDPL-34233) twin turboprop carrying 44 passengers and 5 crew, crashed into the Mekong River, at about 16:00 local time; all 49 on board died. The aircraft was flying from Vientiane to Pakse in Champasak Province in southern Laos, and was attempting to land in bad weather associated with Typhoon Nari. References External links Lao Airlines official website Champa Meuanglao, official inflight magazine Airlines of Laos Airlines established in 1976 Government-owned airlines Economy of Vientiane 1976 establishments in Laos