US singer Thornton dies in Zurich crash

Singer Melanie Thornton was among the dead Melanie Thornton singt den Coca Cola-Werbeslogan für Weihnachten.

The American singer, Melanie Thornton, was one of the victims of Saturday's plane crash near Zurich.

The 34-year-old pop star was on a European promotional tour for Coca-Cola with her new single, “Wonderful Dream (Holidays Are Coming)”.

Thornton, born in May 1967 in South Carolina, was for many years the voice of La Bouche with whom she had worldwide success with songs such as “Sweet Dreams”, “Fallin’ In Love” and “Be My Lover”.

But the group’s second album bombed, and Thornton left the group in February last year to begin in a solo career.

Although a native American, her singing career started in Germany where she arrived in 1992 with just $15 in her pocket.

With her singing partner Lane McCray, she sold more than 10 million units, obtaining gold and platinum awards in over 15 countries.

Also killed in Saturday’s tragedy were three prominent Israelis; two doctors and a Tel Aviv city official, according to Israeli officials.

Professor Yaakov Matzner, the dean of Hebrew University’s school of medicine, and Professor Amiram Eldor, the head of haematology at Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital, were returning from a conference in Berlin.

Avishai Berkman, who was also on the plane, was the director of Tel Aviv’s economic development authority.

swissinfo with agencies