Small plane with 14 people aboard missing in Mexico

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MEXICO CITY, Oct. 14 -- A small plane carrying 14 people has been missing in northwestern Mexican state of Baja California Sur, local authorities said Monday.

The plane, which can seat 20 passengers and belongs to a private company, was reported missing after taking off in the morning from Loreto International Airport in the state, a local official said.

Rescue efforts were hindered by the rough weather caused by tropical storm Octave, said Enrique Avalos, deputy transport director of Mexico's Communication and Transport Ministry.

"A Marine plane was ready to go out but the conditions right now are no good for search. So we've suspended operations until the conditions turn better," he said.

He explained that the aircraft had enough fuel for a two-hour flight and its destination was Los Mochis in northwestern state of Sinaloa, about 147 km southwest of Loreto. With a stop in Ciudad Constitucion, the plane was due to land in half an hour.

Octave, with a maximum sustained winds of 80 km per hour currently, was about 105 km southwest of Cabo San Lazaro on Mexico's Baja California peninsula and expected to bring heavy rains to the region, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

The storm will cause intense rains in the Mexican states of Baja California Sur, Sonora, Sinaloa and Durango.

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