American girl rescued from plane crash

? The sole survivor of a plane crash was reunited with her family Wednesday after rescue workers trekked for five hours to carry the 12-year-old American girl out of a remote mountain area, then airlifted her to a hospital.

Francesca Lewis, wearing a neck brace and with one arm bandaged, met with her parents at a hospital in the town of David, capital of Chiriqui province.

Michael Klein, a prominent California businessman, and his 13-year-old daughter Talia – a friend of Francesca – were killed in Sunday’s crash near the jungle-flanked slopes of the Baru volcano, 270 miles west of the capital, Panama City. The Panamanian pilot Edwin Lasso, 23, was also killed.

Francesca was in stable condition at a private hospital with hypothermia, contusions and muscle injuries, and does not remember much about the crash, said Samuel Cattan, the doctor treating her.

“She lost consciousness, and she only remembers (the plane) falling into a cloud, and then she saw trees,” said Cattan.

He said Francesca will probably remain hospitalized for at least a week.