Two Swiss believed aboard crashed Costa Rican plane

A small plane with eight foreign tourists on board, two of whom are believed to be Swiss nationals, has crashed near a volcano in Costa Rica. Initial reports from the site of the accident indicate there are survivors.

The nationalities of the passengers have not been released, but local police and the Red Cross said it appeared that two Swiss women were among those aboard.

Red Cross rescue workers surveying the scene said it appeared at least four people had survived the crash, which occurred near the Arenal volcano, in the north of the country.

Speaking soon after news of the accident, the Costa Rican Interior Minister, Rogelio Ramos, said the 15-seat Caravan plane had been making a short trip between the town of La Fortuna, near the border with Nicaragua, and Tamarindo, a beach town on the Pacific coast. Air traffic controllers lost contact with the plane on Saturday afternoon.

Eyewitnesses said they heard an explosion at the time of the crash and saw flames coming from near the Chato hills, in the vicinity of the volcano. There were also reports of emergency flares being fired in the area.

Developing story.

swissinfo with agencies