A passenger plane with 72 people on board has crashed in the west of the country. 68 dead have already been recovered. There were also ten foreigners on board the plane.
At least 44 people died in a plane crash in Nepal on Sunday. The plane, with 72 people on board, crashed in Pokhara, in the west of the country, said Aviation Authority spokesman Jagannath Niroula. Airport authorities said five Indians, four Russians, two Koreans and one from Ireland, an Australian, an Argentine and a Frenchman were among the passengers. There were also four crew members. It was a domestic flight with an ATR 72 machine.
State television reported that some bodies had been recovered. Video footage showed thick black smoke over the crash site. Rescuers were on the spot, crowds of people watched their work. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal called an emergency cabinet meeting. Air crashes are not uncommon in the mountainous country of Nepal, with the 14 highest peaks in the world, due to sudden weather changes and dangerous flying conditions compared to other countries.
Airline included in EU blacklist
Around 300 police and other army personnel are on site for rescue work, the spokesman said. The plane crashed shortly before landing. Yeti Airlines, along with several other Nepalese airlines, is on an EU airline blacklist due to safety concerns.
Pokhara is about 200 kilometers northwest of Kathmandu and is the starting point for several Himalayan trekking tours, including the Annapurna circuit. The Annapurna massif is a popular trekking region in the country. There were several air crashes in the mountainous region. Last year, 22 people died in an accident on the Pokhara-Jomsom flight route, including 2 Hessians.
Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed his grief and ordered the security forces, all Nepali government agencies and the local population to help with the security work.