Two Britons among three people killed in plane crash in Switzerland

ZURICH, Sept 17 - Two Britons were among the three people who died when a small plane crashed into a Swiss mountainside this week, the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said on Thursday.

Swiss police said the Cirrus SR22T light aircraft crashed in the Fluhalp area near the spa town of Leukerbad in the southwestern canton of Valais on Tuesday afternoon.

Valais police said the plane departed from the city of Lugano and made a stopover at Sion airport before setting off again towards Buochs airfield in Canton Nidwalden.

However, the plane crashed into a mountainside at about 4 pm (1400 GMT) for reasons that are still unclear. Emergency services and rescue specialists rushed to the scene but all three occupants of the plane were found dead, police said.

"We are providing support to the families of two British nationals who died in Switzerland and in contact with the local authorities," the office said, without providing more details.

The victims are still being identified, said police who gave no information on the third person. REUTERS