At least 40 people were killed on Sunday when a domestic flight crashed in Pokhara in Nepal, a Nepal aviation authority official said, in the country's worst crash in nearly five years. The 72-seater passenger aircraft crashed on the runway at Pokhara International Airport. Rescue operations are underway and the airport is closed for the time being.
Here's what we know so far:
1.) Five Indians were onboard the Yeti airline flight that crashed in Pokhara around 11 am on Sunday, news agency ANI reported quoting airport officials. Times Now identified the passengers as Abhishek Kushwaha, Bishal Sharma, Anil Kumar Rajbhar, Sonu Jaiswal, and Sanjaya Jaiswal.
The Indian embassy in Nepal has shared helpline numbers to facilitate better communication between concerned families in India and the authorities in Nepal.
2.) Nepal's ambassador to India Shankar P Sharma tweeted, "We are deeply saddened by the crash of a plane carrying 72 passengers and crew members, including some Indians in Pokhara. We express our heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with all those affected by this tragedy."
3.) At least 67 people have been killed according to various reports. "We expect to recover more bodies," an army spokesperson told Reuters. "The plane has broken into pieces."
4.) The government of Nepal has declared a one-day national mourning on Monday in wake of the aircraft crash at Pokhara airport.
5.) Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', along with Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane to arrive in Pokhara, in wake of the aircraft crash. A five-member committee has been formed to investigate the reasons for the crash, ANI reported.
6.) The Yeti airlines aircraft crashed between the old airport and the Pokhara International Airport, Sudarshan Bartaula, spokesperson of the airline told The Kathmandu Post.
7.) The plane had 68 passengers including two infants, 10 foreign nationals and four crew members -- two pilots and two air hostesses -- on board. Among the foreigners, there were four Russians, one Irish, two Koreans, one Argentinian and a French national on the flight.
8.) The ATR 72 aircraft took off from Tribhuvan International Airport at 10.33 am, Nepal's The Himalayan Times reported. The plane was 15 years old, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24. The ATR72 is a widely used twin engine turboprop plane manufactured by a joint venture of Airbus and Italy's Leonardo. Yeti Airlines has a fleet of six ATR72-500 planes, according to its website.
9.) Visuals posted on social media platforms showed plumes of smoke billowing from the crash site as rescue workers and crowds of people gathered around the wreckage of the aircraft.
10.) Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said the plane was flying from the capital, Kathmandu, to Pokhara in central Nepal, and urged security personnel and the general public to help with the rescue efforts. He has also called an emergency cabinet meeting.
Air accidents are not uncommon in Nepal, home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains, including Everest, as the weather can change suddenly and make for hazardous conditions.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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