Laos finds missing Mi-17 helicopter along with 22 bodies.

On the afternoon of July 29, the Lao Ministry of Defense issued a statement saying that earlier that day, specialized forces had found the crashed Mi-17 military helicopter, serial number 34062, north of Luangsay village, Longcheng district, Saysomboun province.

As of 6:30 PM on July 29th, Laotian rescue teams had recovered 22 bodies and were attempting to locate the remaining 23 people on board the ill-fated plane.

Illustrative image. (Source: Reuters)

Currently, Lao authorities are urgently investigating the cause of the accident. However, bad weather is likely the main culprit behind this tragic accident.

The ill-fated Mi-17 helicopter was en route from the capital Vientiane to perform a mission in the provinces of Xiangkhouang and Houaphan and lost contact with air traffic control at 1:10 PM on July 27, 2015.

At the time of the accident, the plane was carrying 23 people, including 4 crew members and 19 passengers.

According to VNA