KATMANDU (Nepal) - IDENTIFICATION of the badly charred bodies of 14 foreign tourists who died in a plane crash near Mount Everest has been delayed by a shortage of experts and lack of equipment, a Nepalese doctor said on Friday.

Three German medical and forensic experts arrived on Thursday and another team was expected later on Friday, said Dr. Tulsi Kadel, a Nepalese doctor at Tribhuwan University Teaching Hospital in Katmandu, where the bodies are being kept.

Of the 19 people on board the Yeti Airlines plane, only the pilot survived Wednesday's crash. Among those killed were 12 Germans, two Australians and four Nepalese.

Three Nepalese victims have been identified and handed over to relatives.

DNA samples will have to be collected from the others and flown to a third country because Nepal does not have the facilities to conduct such identification tests, Dr. Kadel said.

The Australian government was considering sending a team to help bring back the two Australians, Dr. Kadel said.

The DeHavilland DHC-6 Twin Otter plane crashed and burst into flames as it tried to land in foggy weather at Lukla airport, about 60 kilometers from Mount Everest, the world's tallest peak. It had taken off in Katmandu.

The tiny Lukla airport, carved into the side of the Himalayas at an altitude of 2,800 metres, is known for its dramatic scenery and a runway that ends in a steep drop of a few hundred feet (metres).

It is an important jumping-off point for trekkers and mountaineers heading to Mount Everest.

In 2005, 12 people survived a crash at the airport in a small plane with minor injuries. -- AP