Nepalese passenger plane with 72 people onboard crashes in Pokhara: What we know so far

TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Jan 15, 2023, 16:29 IST

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Nepalese passenger plane with 72 people onboard crashes in Pokhara: What we know so far

NEW DELHI: A Nepalese passenger plane with 72 people onboard crashed on Sunday while landing at the Pokhara airport.

At least 67 people were killed after a passenger aircraft belonging to Yeti Airlines tragically crashed upon landing at Pokhara International Airport in Nepal on Sunday. Emergency rescue operations are under way at the airport. A total of 72 people were on board the ill-fated flight. There were 5

What we know so far about the crash:

Yeti Airlines' 9N-ANC ATR-72 aircraft took off from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport at 10.33 am.
While landing at the Pokhara airport, the aircraft crashed on the bank of the Seti River between the old airport and the new airport.
There were a total of 68 passengers including 10 foreigners, and also four crew members.
5 Indians, 4 Russians, 1 Irish, 2 South Korean, 1 Australian, 1 French and 1 Argentinian national were on board.
Five Indians have been identified as Abhisekh Kushwaha, Bishal Sharma, Anil Kumar Rajbhar, Sonu Jaiswal and Sanjaya Jaiswal.
The Indian embassy in Nepal has opened the following helplines- Kathmandu: Diwakar Sharma:+977-9851107021; Pokhara: Lt Col Shashank Tripathi: +977-9856037699
68 bodies have been recovered from the crash site, PTI reported quoting a rescue official.
Shortly after the crash, police reached and started a rescue operation. However, the police said that it was not possible to deploy enough manpower.
Police said that bringing the fire under control was difficult as fire engines could not reach the river gorge where the crash took place.
According to a flight tracking website FlightRadar24, the plane that crashed was 15 years old.
Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has called for an emergency cabinet meeting after the crash.
Dahal left for Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport to understand the details of the crash.
Nepal government has formed a five-member commission of inquiry to probe the plane crash.
It has also announced a national mourning on Monday over the plane crash.