An ATR-72 airliner crashed in a gorge near the airport in Pokhara, Nepal on Saturday morning. The plane had taken off from Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport at 10:32 am local time. It had 68 passengers and four crew members. Four of the passengers were Russians and the remaining were Indians, Irish and Australians.
A witness saw the plane fall nose first into the gorge. Another person heard the screams of the people inside the aircraft. There were three children on board. All four crew members were Nepali. Yeti Airlines confirmed the crash and handed over the plane to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.
Rescuers and soldiers rushed to the site of the crash. Debris strewn across the site and thick smoke were reported. However, it was still unclear whether any survivors were aboard the plane. At least 68 people are believed to have died in the crash.
According to the local news, the aircraft was on its way to Pokhara. It was flying at an altitude of about 12,500 feet. As it was flying, the weather was fine. But suddenly, the wind changed and the plane was forced to make a hard landing. During the crash, it was in contact with the Pokhara Tower.
The crash site is about a mile from the airport in Pokhara. But the gorge is 300 metres deep, making it impossible to view the wreckage from above. It’s possible the plane’s fuselage split into several parts. Even then, it would be difficult to find survivors.
According to reports, the plane’s flight data recorder was discovered at the scene. It’s a vital piece of information for investigators to examine. One aviation expert has suggested that the plane was experiencing a wing stall. He believes that technical problems with the aircraft instruments could have led to bad data to the pilots.
In addition to the 68 passengers and four crew members, 15 other foreign nationals were on board. The four Russians and two South Koreans were confirmed dead by the Russian Embassy in Nepal, while two other South Koreans remain unaccounted for.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry in South Korea has sent its staff to the scene of the crash to assist in the recovery efforts. The Foreign Ministry is still investigating the fate of the missing two South Koreans.
A high-level investigation team will now examine the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder to find out why the airliner crashed. According to the Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the committee will report back to him within 45 days. This will include checking all circumstances that led to the disaster.
A public holiday has been declared in Nepal in mourning for the victims of the plane crash. It will be held on January 16 and will be observed by the government and local communities.
