Melanie Thornton, 34; Singer With La Bouche Pop Duo Dies in Crash

Melanie Thornton, 34, an American pop singer who established a career in Germany, died Saturday in an airplane crash in Switzerland.

Thornton was traveling from Berlin to Zurich for a live performance when her plane went down in a wooded area near Zurich’s airport, killing her and 23 others, officials said.

A native of Charleston, S.C., and resident of Atlanta, Thornton attracted a following in Germany in the 1990s as part of the duo La Bouche, with Lane McCray.

She had her first hit album as a solo act there last year, when “Ready to Fly” reached No. 18 on German pop charts. Other hits for La Bouche included “Sweet Dreams” and “Be My Lover.”