Disclaimer: This article includes distressing content. Reader discretion is advised.
A plane that took off from Nepal’s capital of Kathmandu and was scheduled to have landed in the popular tourist spot of Pokhara on Sunday (January 15th, 2023) has tragically resulted in one of the country’s deadliest air disasters in recent history.
As reported by international news agency Al-Jazeera, the ATR 72 aircraft had been operated by Nepalese airline company Yeti Air and was on approach to the newly opened Pokhara airport before it crashed in a gorge near the Seti River. Yeti Air spokesperson Pemba Sherpa has since confirmed to Russian news agency Sputnik that all 72 on-board have perished in the calamity.
Airplane carrying 72 individuals on-board crashes in Nepal
In speaking with British news agency BBC, local resident Divya Dhakal said that she had rushed to the scene of the crash after she had witnessed the aircraft take a hard dive from the skies at around 11.00am local time.
“By the time I was there the crash site was already crowded. There was huge smoke coming from the flames of the plane. And then helicopters came over in no time,”
“The pilot tried his best to not hit civilisation or any home,” she said.
A total of 72 people had been on-board the flight at the time, which included four members of crew and 68 passengers. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal revealed that the passengers consisted of 53 Nepal nationals, five Indians, four Russians, two Koreans, one national each of Argentina, Australia, France and Ireland.
As reported by The Times of India, four out of the five passengers from India had been from a single group of friends who had been travelling to Pokhara for paragliding activities after offering puja at the Pashupatinath temple.
Facebook Live video by group of friends show flight’s final moments
A Facebook livestream video had been recorded by one of the friends during the flight, which showed the plane’s final moments before the fateful crash. Initially, all appeared to be well before the plane could be seen taking a hard bank to the left and crashing into a ball of flames.
At this point in time, it remains unclear as to the true cause behind the crash itself. However, German news agency DW has reported that the plane’s flight data and cockpit voice recorders has been recovered. An audit of all all ATR 72 and ATR 42 aircraft used in Nepal have also indicated that they do not suffer from any technical issues.
Latest reports from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal reveal that 69 bodies have been retrieved from the crash site, with 41 victims identified.
Updates on #9NANC Crash:
-Out of 72 onboard, 69 bodies retrieved & 41 identified
-Forensic team dispatched to Pokhara
-Aircraft’s FDR & CVR recovered
-Identified bodies being handed over to their next of kin in Pokhara
-MI 17 helicopter deployed to bring the bodies to Kathmandu— Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (@hello_CAANepal) January 16, 2023
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Also read: One pilot left dead & another critically injured after plane crash occurred in Medan Gopeng, Ipoh
