Five Indians onboard aircraft confirms Embassy

AMN/ WEB DESK

At least 40 people were killed today when an aircraft of domestic carrier Yeti Airlines crashed in western Nepal’s Pokhara. An army spokesperson, Krishna Bhandari told an agency, We expect to recover more bodies,”.

There were 72 people on the twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft operated by Nepal’s Yeti Airlines, including two infants, four crew members and 10 foreign nationals, said airline spokesman Sudarshan Bartaula. Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal urged security personnel and the general public to help with the rescue efforts.

General Manager of Tribhuvan International Airport Premnath Thakur said the aircraft with a call sign 9N-ANC took off from Kathmandu at 10:30am.

Images and videos posted on social media platforms showed plumes of smoke billowing from the crash site.

Of the passengers, 53 are said to be Nepalese. There were five Indian, four Russians and two Koreans on the plane. There was also one passenger each from Ireland, Australia, Argentina and France among others.

PM Dahal calls emergency Cabinet meeting following plane crash

The prime minister directs the state authorities to carry out immediate rescue and relief operations.

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Sunday called an emergency meeting of the Council of Ministers following an aircraft crash in Pokhara.

Expressing his sadness over the crash, the prime minister called the meeting.

The prime minister has directed Home Ministry, security personnel and all the government agencies to carry out immediate rescue and relief operations.

Prime Minister Dahal has left for Kathmandu airport to find out details of the crash.

Scores of people are feared dead after an ATR 72 aircraft of Yeti Airlines that flew to Pokhara from Kathmandu crashed in Pokhara of Kaski district this morning.

A total of 68 passengers and four crew members were on board the aircraft that crashed between the old airport and the Pokhara International Airport.