KATHMANDU: A total of 16 bodies were recovered from the site of the crash of a passenger aircraft in Nepal’s Pokhara, the spokesperson of Nepal Army confirmed on Sunday.
The aircraft which crashed on the runway at the Pokhara airport in Nepal had 68 passengers on board had 53 Nepali, 5 Indians, 4 Russians, 1 Irish, 2 Koreans, 1 person from Argentina and a French national in the aircraft, the Airport authority said.
The aircraft had two infants as well.
Prime Minister of Nepal condoled the loss of lives in the plane crash and said that he is saddened by the tragic accident of Yeti Airlines ANC ATR 72, which was flying from Kathmandu to Pokhara with passengers.
Taking to Twitter, the office of the Prime Minister of Nepal tweeted, “I am deeply saddened by the tragic accident of Yeti Airlines ANC ATR 72, which was flying from Kathmandu to Pokhara with passengers. I sincerely appeal to the security personnel, all agencies of the Nepal government and the general public to start an effective rescue.”
In order to take an update on the situation following the crash, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ reached the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.
To look into the situation, PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Sunday called an emergency meeting of the Council of Ministers following an aircraft crash in Pokhara. The Prime Minister directed Home Ministry, security personnel and all the government agencies to carry out immediate rescue and relief operations, Kathmandu Post reported.
Moreover, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also condoled the loss of lives in the plane crash in Nepal’s Pokhara on Sunday, in which 72 people were on board. “The loss of lives in a tragic plane crash in Nepal is extremely unfortunate. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the bereaved. Om Shanti,” tweeted Scindia.
The plane, a 72-seater passenger aircraft, reportedly crashed on the runway at Pokhara Airport in Nepal while landing. The airport is closed for the time being and rescue operations are underway. Kathmandu Post quoted a spokesperson of Yeti Airlines Sudarshan Bartaula as saying that the ATR 72 Yeti airlines aircraft crashed between the old airport and the Pokhara International Airport.
Images and videos of the crash posted on social media platforms showed plumes of smoke billowing out of the crash site. A deadly aircrash took place in Nepal in May last year in which 4 Indians died. A Tara Air’s 9 NAET twin-engine aircraft crashed in Kowang village of the Mustang district hours after it went missing in the mountainous district after taking off from Pokhara city.
Mustang is one of the mountainous and fifth-largest districts of the Himalayan nation, which hosts the pilgrimage to Muktinath Temple. The district, also known as ‘Land beyond the Himalayas’, is located in the Kali Gandaki valley of the Himalayan region of Western Nepal.
Mustang (from the Tibetan Muntan meaning ‘fertile plain’ the traditional region is largely dry and arid. The world’s deepest gorge that goes down three miles vertically between Dhaulagiri and Annapurna mountains runs through this district.
Following the crash, an emergency mock drill on a plane crash rescue operation has been conducted at Tribhuwan International Airport in the Nepali capital Kathmandu on Wednesday afternoon. According to the rule of The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), every internationally recognized airport should conduct a ‘full-scale emergency exercise’ every two years. (ANI)
Also Read: Mild earthquake hits Nepal’s tourist hub Pokhara
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