Nepal Plane Crash: At least 68 killed in Nepal’s worst airplane crash in 30 years

The plane was in route from the capital Kathmandu to Pokhara when it crashed with 72 people on board.

At least 67 people were confirmed dead Sunday when a plane with 72 on board crashed in Nepal, police said, in the Himalayan country’s deadliest aviation disaster in three decades.
“Thirty-one (bodies) have been taken to hospitals,” police official AK Chhetri told AFP, adding that 36 other bodies were still in the 300-metre (600-foot) gorge the aircraft plunged into.
This was partially confirmed by the army, with a spokesman saying 29 bodies had been retrieved and that there were 33 more at the site in Pokhara in central Nepal.

Army spokesman Krishna Prasad Bhandari said “The aircraft crashed into a gorge so it is difficult to bring the bodies Search and rescue is ongoing. No survivors have been found yet”

According to data from the Aviation Safety Network, the incident on Sunday was the third-deadliest crash in the history of the Himalayan country. Only two incidents in 1992 resulted in more fatalities: in July and September. There were 113 and 167 fatalities in such collisions, which involved aircraft operated by Pakistan International and Thai Airways, respectively.

Yeti Airlines: ATR 72 Aircraft

The twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft, operated by Nepal’s Yeti Airlines, was flying from the capital, Kathmandu, to Pokhara, a 27-minute flight. It was carrying 68 passengers including 15 foreign nationals, as well as four crew members, Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement.

The foreigners included five Indians, four Russians, two South Koreans, and one each from Ireland, Australia, Argentina and France.

what Official said about incident:

The aircraft had been flying from the capital of Kathmandu to Pokhara, the country’s second-most populous city and a gateway to the Himalayas, the country’s state media The Rising Nepal reported. Pokahara is located some 129 kilometers (80 miles) west of Kathmandu.

Around 18 minutes after departure, at around 10:50 a.m. local time, the aircraft lost contact with Pokhara Airport. Following that, it crashed into the nearby Seti River Gorge. The Nepal Army and many police agencies have sent first responders to the crash scene to conduct a rescue effort, according to a statement from the civil aviation authorities.

Viral video clip on live crash incident

On Sunday, a video clip shared on social media seemed to capture the final seconds before the plane crashed. The video, which appears to have been shot from a Pokhara rooftop, shows the plane flying low over a busy area and rolling on its side before it disappears from view. At the conclusion of the video, a loud explosion can be heard.

An investigation team formed to find out reason.

A five-member committee has been formed to investigate the cause of the crash. The quintet must submit a report to the government within 45 days, according to Nepal’s deputy prime minister and government spokesperson Bishnu Paudel.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said he was “deeply saddened by the sad and tragic accident.”

“I sincerely appeal to the security personnel, all agencies of the Nepal government and the general public to start an effective rescue,” Dahal said on Twitter.

Nepal Plane crash history:

In May 2022, all 22 people on board a plane operated by Nepali carrier Tara Air- 16 Nepalis, four Indians and two Germans died when it crashed. Air traffic control lost contact with the twin-propeller Twin Otter shortly after it took off from Pokhara and headed for Jomsom, a popular trekking destination.
Its wreckage was found a day later, strewn across a mountainside at around 14,500 feet (4,400 metres) above sea level.

 In March 2018, 51 persons killed when a US-Bangla Airlines plane crashed-landed close to Kathmandu’s notoriously challenging international airport.

In 1992, all 167 persons aboard a Pakistan International Airlines flight died when it crashed as it approached Kathmandu , making that catastrophe the country’s deadliest. Just two months earlier, a Thai Airways aircraft had crashed near the same airport, killing 113 people.

Nepal Geographical Position: Worst for Airlines 

The Himalayan country of Nepal, home to eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains, including Everest, has a record of air accidents. Its weather can change suddenly and airstrips are typically sited in difficult-to-reach mountainous areas.

Nepal has also some of the world’s most remote and tricky runways, flanked by snow-capped peaks with approaches that pose a challenge even for accomplished pilots.
Aircraft operators have said Nepal lacks infrastructure for accurate weather forecasts, especially in remote areas with challenging mountainous terrain where deadly crashes have taken place in the past.