bad luck
Plane crash in Nepal: 68 bodies recovered
Locals and rescuers in Pokhara near the wreckage of the crashed passenger plane. photo
© Yunish Gurung/AP/dpa
Pokhara is a starting point for numerous trekking tours in the Himalayas. A plane crashes there just before landing. There are very many dead.
At least 68 bodies have been recovered after a domestic plane crashed in Nepal with 72 people on board. This was announced by the airport authority. The plane of the local Yeti Airlines crashed in the morning on the route between the capital Kathmandu and Pokhara shortly before landing.
In addition to 53 passengers from Nepal, there were also 5 Indians, 4 Russians, 2 Koreans and one person each from Ireland, Australia, Argentina and France on board, according to the airport authority. There were also four crew members.
Rescue work continues
The rescue work and investigations into the cause of the crash continued. Like other Nepalese airlines, Yeti Airlines is on an EU airline blacklist due to safety concerns and is not allowed to fly in European airspace.
The plane involved in the accident was an ATR 72-500, a short-haul regional airliner manufactured by a joint venture between Europe’s Airbus and Leonardo. According to the company, Yeti Airlines’ fleet consists of six aircraft of this type. ATR said they would help with the investigation.
Pokhara is about 200 kilometers northwest of Kathmandu and is the starting point for numerous trekking tours in the Himalayas, including the Annapurna circuit. The Annapurna massif is a popular trekking region in the country. There have been several plane crashes in the mountainous region. Last year, 22 people died in a crash on the Pokhara-Jomsom flight route, including 2 Hessians.