TEGUCIGALPA - The Honduran government Monday declared three days of national mourning following a plane crash in the morning that killed 14 people, including a vice minister.

President Porfirio Lobo has sent condolences to the victims' relatives and friends, the government said in a statement.

The bi-engine light plane Let-410 departed from the country's second-largest city of San Pedro Sula and crashed some 30 km south of its scheduled destination of Tegucigalpa, killing all 12 passengers and two pilots onboard.

Among the victims were Vice Minister of Public Works, Transportation and Housing Rodolfo Robelo, trade union leader Israel Salinas and businessman Carlos Chain.

Honduran Foreign Minister Mario Canahuati and Minister of the National Agriculture Institute Cesar Ham luckily missed the flight. Ham did not arrive on time at the airport, while Canahuati decided at the last moment to take another plane.

The cause of the crash is yet to be determined, but authorities said bad weather could be a reason.