Kathmandu [Nepal], January 15 (ANI): An aircraft with 68 passengers, and four crew members on board crashed in Nepal’s Pokhara on Sunday. 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.
68 confirmed dead in Yeti Airlines crash
Pokhra [Nepal], January 15 (ANI): Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority on Sunday said that 68 passengers on board the ATR-72 Yeti Airlines flight, which crashed somewhere between the old airport of Pokhara region and the Pokhara International Airport, were confirmed dead. The Kathmandu-Pokhara flight had 68 passengers, including five Indians, as well as four crew members.
The notice issued by Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority reads that around 10:30 am, the flight carrying 68 passengers including, 5 Indians, 4 Russians, and 1 Irish took off. “Nepali Army, Police Force, Airport Rescue, and Fire Fighting and Nepal Police will be informed about the rescue operation. Total number 72 including crew female 25 male 30, standard, white. So far, the death toll is 68,” the statement reads.
Indian leaders also conveyed their condolences on the incident. Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar expressed their grief.
The Indian embassy informed that it was in contact with the local authorities. “We are deeply saddened by the crash of a plane carrying 72 passengers and crew members, including some Indians in Pokhara. We express our heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with all those affected by this tragedy,” Shankar P Sharma, the Nepal’s ambassador to India, tweeted.
The India embassy helpline numbers — Diwakar Sharma: +977-9851107021 for Kathmandu and Lt Col Shashank Tripathi: +977-9856037699 for the Pokhara region — to help the kin of the deceased Indian passengers. Meanwhile, the Nepal government declared a day of national mourning tomorrow. The government has also announced that a five-member committee will be formed to investigate the crash.
Newly elected Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane were scheduled to visit Pokhara after the crash but now, the plans have been canceled according to Dahal’s Chief Personal Secretary Ramesh Malla.
Further, the Prime Minister directed Home Ministry, security personnel, and all the government agencies to carry out immediate rescue and relief operations. (ANI)
Heard a loud sound, rushed to site, took out buried passengers, say eyewitnesses to Nepal plane crash
Pokhara [Nepal], January 15 (ANI): Deepak Shahi, an eyewitness to the Nepal plane crash on Sunday, said that he and two-three other people heard a loud sound and rushed to the crash site. Upon arrival, they saw that a plane had exploded. “There was a loud sound, so I and two-three other people ran to the site where we saw that a plane had exploded,” Shahi told ANI. “We took some people to the hospital. Some people were buried under the plane and we took them out. There were also some dead bodies in the gorge. We took them out,” Shahi added.
Another eyewitness Mahmood Khan said that he and his friend were at his house when they heard a loud sound. “We were at home when we heard a sound and rushed to the terrace. There we saw smoke and rushed to the accident site. We tried saving the people and took out some 35 bodies,” said Khan.
An aircraft with 68 passengers and four crew members on board crashed in Nepal‘s Pokhara on Sunday. The plane was a 72-seater passenger aircraft. Nepal‘s Civil Aviation Authority on Sunday said that 68 passengers on board the ATR-72 Yeti Airlines flight were confirmed dead.
The Kathmandu-Pokhara flight had 68 passengers, including five Indians, as well as four crew members. The notice issued by Nepal‘s Civil Aviation Authority reads that the flight took off at around 10:30 am. “Nepali Army, Police Force, Airport Rescue, and Fire Fighting and Nepal Police will be informed about the rescue operation. Total number 72 including crew female 25 male 30, standard, white. So far, the death toll is 68,” the statement reads.
Indian leaders also conveyed their condolences on the incident. Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar expressed their grief. The Indian embassy informed that it was in contact with the local authorities. “We are deeply saddened by the crash of a plane carrying 72 passengers and crew members, including some Indians in Pokhara. We express our heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with all those affected by this tragedy,” Shankar P Sharma, Nepal‘s ambassador to India, tweeted.
Nepal plane crash: Yeti Airlines announces cancellation of regular flight for tomorrow
Pokhra [Nepal], January 15 (ANI): After the ATR-72 Yeti Airlines flight crashed in Nepal’s Pokhara, the airline said that to mourn the passengers who lost their lives, the regular flights of Monday will be cancelled. Yeti Airlines shared the official statement on Twitter in which it said, “In mourning for the passengers who lost their lives in the accident of Yeti Airlines 9N ANC ATR 72 500, we would like to inform you that all regular flights of Yeti Airlines for 16th January 2023 have been cancelled.” “However, emergency and rescue flights will resume. We apologize for the inconvenience caused,” it added.
Today, in the morning, the ATR-72 Yeti Airlines flight crashed somewhere between the old airport of Pokhara region and the Pokhara International Airport where 68 people lost their lives including 5 Indians. According to the Civil Aviation Authority, the total death toll has risen to 68.
Meanwhile, ATR has expressed its grief over the plane crash and said that they have been informed about the incident. “Our thoughts are with the affected individuals. The ATR specialists are fully engaged to support both the investigation & the customer,” ATR Aircraft said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief and prayed for the bereaved families of the Nepal plane crash. “Pained by the tragic air crash in Nepal in which precious lives have been lost, including Indian nationals. In this hour of grief, my thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families,” PM Modi tweeted. The notice issued by Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority reads that at around 10:30 am, the flight carrying 68 passengers including, five Indians, four Russians, and one Irish national took off.
“Nepali Army, Police Force, Airport Rescue, and Fire Fighting and Nepal Police will be informed about the rescue operation. Total number 72 including crew female 25 male 30, standard, white. So far, the death toll is 68,” the statement reads.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also expressed grief over the incident and extended his condolences to the victims. He tweeted, “Deeply grieved on hearing about the air crash in Pokhara, Nepal. Our thoughts are with the affected families.”
Earlier, Jyotiraditya Scindia tweeted, “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.” The Nepal government has declared a national holiday tomorrow to mourn the deaths of the people on board the Yeti plane crash today. Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari took to her Twitter handle to offer condolences to the passengers and crew members who lost their lives. She also expressed condolences to the bereaved families. (ANI)
