Monitoring Desk
POKHARA: At least 68 people were confirmed to have died Sunday when a plane with 72 people on board crashed in Nepal, Yeti Airline said.
One local official said that the survivors had been shifted to the hospital.
“68 dead bodies have been recovered so far,” Yeti spokesman Sudarshan Bartaula said.
The spokesman said that 15 foreigners, including five Indians, two Koreans, and four Russians were on board the plane.
The flight from Kathmandu crashed between Pokhara’s domestic and international airports on Sunday before 11:00 am (0515 GMT).
Pokhara’s international airport was opened on January 1 to gradually replace the old one, established in 1958. The city in central Nepal is a gateway to religious pilgrims and international trekkers.
Rescue operation after Yeti Airlines’ plane crash
After the plane crash, rescue workers were searching for the parts of the wreckage of the ATR 72 twin-engine turboprop while smoke drifted out of a ravine while hundreds of people watched.
The area was strewn with what appeared to be parts of the plane, including seats.
Footage shared on social media showed raging flames on the ground and black smoke billowing into the sky from debris strewn across the crash site.
AFP was unable to verify the footage immediately.
Another unverified online clip showed a plane flying at a low altitude over a residential area banking sharply to the left, followed by a loud explosion.
