Nepal plane Crash: death of 68 of 72 onboard confirmed
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Kathmandu: The death toll has reached 68 after a Yeti Airlines ATR 72 carrying 72 crashed in Nepal’s Pokhara at 11 am on Sunday, IANS reported.
Five Indians are included among the casualty.
A video emerged hours after the mishap showed a low-flying flight seconds before it crashed as it was en route from Kathmandu to Pokhara.
The plane took off from Tribhuvan International Airport at 10:33 am today and crashed ten seconds before landing at the airport.
The mishap took place in the forest land on the banks of the Seti Gandaki River, flowing between the old domestic airport and Pokhra International Airport.
"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, reportedly said.
Alongside four crew members, there were 68 passengers, which included 53 Nepalis, five Indians, four Russians, one Irish national, two Koreans, one Argentinian and a French national.
Three of those onboard were infants, and 11 passengers were international visitors.
The Nepal aviation authority confirmed that it was an ATR 72 plane turbo crop with a maximum speed of 500 kmph that usually flies at low altitudes, adding that Yati airlines mostly ply old planes.
Meanwhile, the government has called an emergency meeting of the cabinet to review the accident.
Reports say that the pilot initially asked for landing in the east but changed the plan when permission was granted, seeking to land in the west direction.
After permission was given, the plane crashed a second before landing.
The cause of the crash will come to light only after data from the BlackBox is analysed.
The new airport where the plane was heading was inaugurated only days ago, which is Nepal's third international airport, built with Chinese assistance.
