At least 68 passengers died in Nepal’s worst aviation accident in 30 years. The plane they were travelling in crashed into Pokhara International Airport in Nepal. Civil aviation sources in Kathmandu confirmed this on January 15. There were 72 people aboard the aircraft belonging to Yeti Airlines, including four crew members and fifteen foreign passengers. Officials stated that four bodies have yet to be found. Both black boxes recovered; four people still missing
Poor maintenance, inadequate training and lax standards have all contributed to the poor state of Nepal’s aviation sector. Nepal also boasts some of the most difficult and remote runways in the world, flanked by tall mountains that can challenge even experienced pilots.
The Aviation Safety Database shows that there have been 27 fatal plane crashes in Nepal in the past three decades, killing more than 600 people.
Screengrab taken from footage of the Yeti Airlines plane just before it crashed in Pokhara, Nepal yesterday.
It was on its way from Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, to the central tourist area when it crashed close to where it was to land.
Eyewitnesses claimed that he witnessed the aircraft spin violently in the air as it attempted to land. Then, the aircraft crashed into a canyon before plummeting nose-first to its left.
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The co-pilot of the Nepal flight which crashed with 72 passengers on board had lost her husband in an identical crash in 2006.
Anju Khatiwada served as co-pilot on the Yeti Airlines flight between capital Kathmandu and the tourist destination of Pokhara.
The twin-engine ATR 72 plane crashed killing 68 people, including crew members. Authorities announced Monday that any hope of finding survivors was fading.
Indra Prasad Saptoka claimed that he witnessed the plane flip to its side just before it crashed. He was grateful that it crashed away from nearby houses.
Divya Dhakal from another local community told the BBC that she rushed to the site of the crash after witnessing the plane fall from the sky shortly after 11:00 (05:15 GMT).
“By the time that I arrived, the crash site had already become crowded. The plane’s flames were emitting huge amounts of smoke. She said that helicopters arrived in no time.
She said that the pilot did his best to avoid hitting any homes or civilisations. “The flight landed in a very small area right next to the Seti River.
Accidents involving aviation are common in Nepal. The country has remote runways and can be subject to weather changes that could make it hazardous.
The Himalayan nation of Nepal, which is home to some of most stunning mountains in the world has some of most challenging terrain to navigate.
