Disappeared in mountainous region: Plane missing in Nepal

In Nepal, a search is being carried out for a small passenger plane with which contact was lost shortly after take-off. The plane took off from the city of Pokhara, which is popular with tourists. Two Germans were also on board.

A plane with 22 people on board has disappeared from radar in Nepal. To the ARD Studio South Asia the passenger list is available, according to which two Germans, a man and a woman, are among the passengers on the plane. This became the ARD confirmed by the German Embassy in Kathmandu.

The Tara Airlines twin-engine plane was en route from the city of Pokhara to Jomson. The flight should only last 15 minutes. Contact with the cockpit was lost shortly after takeoff, the police said. According to the airline, 19 passengers and three crew members were on board.

A spokesman for the Nepalese Interior Ministry said two helicopters had been dispatched to search for the plane. However, the visibility in the area is very poor. “The bad weather will probably hamper the search operation,” said the ministry spokesman.

Difficult conditions for airplanes

It had rained in the area in the past few days, but air traffic was normal. The short route from Pokhara, 200 kilometers northwest of the capital Kathmandu, to Jomsom is popular with climbers from abroad. Pilgrims from India and Nepal also visit the Muktinath Temple in the area. Airplanes have to fly on the route between the mountains before landing in a valley.

Aviation in Nepal has been booming for years. However, safety standards are low due to insufficient staff training and poor maintenance of machines. The European Union has not allowed any Nepalese airline in its airspace.

In addition, the Himalayan state is home to some of the most remote and difficult airstrips. In March 2018, a plane operated by Bangladeshi airline US-Bangla crashed near the international airport in the capital, Kathmandu. 51 people lost their lives.

With information from Peter Hornung, ARD Studio South Asia