What happened
During a flight over Laos, an aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 10,000 feet when the crew established contact with Air Traffic Control. During this communication, the pilot provided an estimated time of arrival for Vientiane at 1422 local time.
Shortly after this transmission, the aircraft vanished from radar surveillance. No emergency signals or distress messages were sent by the crew prior to the loss of contact. The plane is believed to have crashed in a remote, isolated region of Laos. Despite search efforts, the wreckage of the aircraft has not been located. All 23 occupants are currently presumed dead.
Findings
Official investigations into the disappearance suggest that the most likely reason for the loss of the aircraft is that it may have been shot down.