68 Dead after plane with 72 on board crashes in Nepal

The Government of Nepal summons an emergency meeting of the cabinet, following the passenger aircraft crash at Pokhara Airport.

Pokhara, Jan 15: At least 68 people have died after a 72-seater passenger aircraft crashed on the runway at Pokhara International Airport in Nepal.

"Among the 72 people onboard the Nepal crash, there were 53 Nepali, 5 Indian, 4 Russian, One Irish, 2 Koreans, 1 Argentinian and a French national were on board. The plane was close to landing at the Pokhara airport, when it crashed on the bank of the Seti River.

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

"A total of 68 passengers and four crew members were on board the Yeti airlines aircraft that crashed between the old airport and the Pokhara International Airport, Sudarshan Bartaula, spokesperson of Yeti Airlines," reported The Kathmandu Post.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), Yeti Airlines' 9N-ANC ATR-72 aircraft took off from Kathmandu at 10:33 am. While landing at the Pokhara airport, the aircraft crashed on the bank of the Seti River between the old airport and the new airport.

The wreckage was on fire and rescue workers were trying to put out the blaze, local official Gurudutta Dhakal told AFP.

Rescue operations are underway and the airport is closed for the time being.

Meanwhile, the Government of Nepal has summoned an emergency meeting of the cabinet, following the passenger aircraft crash at Pokhara Airport.

"Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has reached Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu after the accident of the Yeti Airlines ANC ATR 72 plane carrying passengers from Kathmandu to Pokhara," tweeted PMO Nepal.

Pokhara is a major tourist destination in the Himalayan nation.

In May 2022, all 22 people on board a plane operated by Nepali carrier Tara Air died shortly after it took off from Pokhara.

In March 2018, a US-Bangla Airlines plane crash-landed near Kathmandu international airport, killing 51 people.