Twenty killed in plane crash in Swiss Alps

Established in 1982, JU-Air offered sightseeing, charter and adventure flights with its three mid-century Junkers Ju-52 aircraft decommissioned by the Swiss Air Force and known affectionately in German as "Auntie Ju" planes.

It was the first time the airline had experienced an accident that resulted in death or injury to passengers or crew members, Waldmeier said. The airline suspended flights until further notice.

The plane that crashed had its last maintenance check in late July, Waldmeier said, at which time no defects had been found.

The wreckage of the plane was in a basin at 2,450 metres (8,000 feet) above sea level surrounded on three sides by peaks, a Reuters witness said. Rescuers and helicopters were at the scene.

The airspace above the crash site was closed by the Federal Office for Civil Aviation and access to popular hiking trails in the surrounding area was blocked. 

Agencies