Three confirmed dead in plane crash in Swiss Alps, including two Britons

Three people have been confirmed dead following the crash of a small single-engine aeroplane in the Swiss Alps on Tuesday. The two Britons were among the deceased after the Cirrus SR22T aircraft collided with a mountain slope near the town of Leukerbad in the southern canton of Valais, approximately ten minutes after taking off from Sion Airport in the Rhône Valley. The plane crashed in the Fluhalp area, and all three passengers aboard perished. The Valais canton police are currently working to identify the victims. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has stated that it is providing support to the families of the two British nationals who died. A representative from the FCDO expressed condolences, saying, 'Our thoughts remain with the families during this difficult time.' The aircraft had taken off from Lugano in the southern canton of Ticino, made a stop in Sion, and was en route to the Buochs aerodrome in Nidwalden when it crashed around 4 PM. Residents reported seeing smoke rising from the crash site, prompting them to call emergency services. The Valais Rescue Organisation responded to the incident, deploying three helicopters and two rescue specialists. Swiss federal authorities have opened an investigation into the cause of the crash, with the Office of the Attorney General of the Confederation leading a criminal investigation in collaboration with the Valais cantonal police. Local police reported that the aircraft collided with the northern slope of a mountain in the Fluhalp area, and signs of smoke were noted in the region. This incident follows another tragedy in Switzerland where several people died in a coach crash in the eastern canton of Graubunden, where a coach carrying 48 tourists overturned after hitting a safety barrier. The Dutch Federation of Travel Agencies identified the coach as belonging to Oad, a Dutch tour company, and confirmed that all passengers were from the Netherlands. Local authorities have confirmed fatalities in the coach crash but have not released specific numbers or nationalities, stating that they will not provide further details until the victims' families have been informed.