The Latest: Tourist plane crashes in Swiss Alps, 20 dead
By Associated Press
Aug 5, 2018 7:33 AM CDT

BERLIN (AP) — The Latest on the crash of a propeller plane in the Swiss Alps (all times local):

2:30 p.m.

Swiss officials say they're not aware of any distress call from an old-time prop plane that crashed in the Swiss Alps before it went down, killing 20 people. They also expect the investigation into the cause of the crash to be "relatively complex."

Daniel Knecht of the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board said the plane appears to have hit the ground near-vertically and at high speed in Saturday's crash.

Speaking at a news conference Sunday in the Alpine resort of Flims, near the crash site, Knecht said the vintage plane presumably didn't have the crash-resistant cockpit voice and data recorders that more modern aircraft have.

He said officials have essentially ruled out a collision with another aircraft or hitting an obstacle such as a wire. He also says there's no indication of foul play or that the aircraft lost parts or broke up before the crash.

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2:10 p.m.

Swiss police say all 20 people aboard an old-time propeller plane were killed when the aircraft crashed into a mountainside in southeast Switzerland.

The Swiss news website 20min.ch quoted police spokeswoman Anita Senti as saying that police now know all 20 people on the Junkers Ju-52 propeller plane died in the crash Saturday near the Alpine resort of Flims.

Officials said 11 men and nine women were killed, most from Switzerland but also a couple and their son from Austria.

The plane was operated by Ju-Air, a Swiss company that offers tours with vintage former Swiss military aircraft.

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9:50 a.m.

An old-time propeller plane operated by a company that offers panoramic flights has crashed in the Swiss Alps. There was no immediate word on casualties.

Police in southeastern Graubuenden canton (state) said a several-seater plane crashed Saturday on the Piz Segnas mountain above the Swiss Alpine resort of Flims, striking the mountain's western flank about 2,540 meters (8,330 feet) above sea level. The area is popular with hikers and includes a glacier.

Police gave no information on casualties, but said Sunday they plan a news conference in the afternoon.

Ju-Air, a company based in Duebendorf, near Zurich, that offers flights with old-time Junkers Ju-52 planes, said one of its aircraft had been involved in the accident Saturday. Nearly 5,000 Ju-52 planes were manufactured between 1932 and 1952. The Swiss daily Blick said the planes can accommodate 17 passengers and three crew.