A Yeti Airlines ATR 72 crashed in Pokhara, Nepal, while en route from Kathmandu today. A total of 72 people were on board the plane, and ground workers are continuing to recover bodies from the crash site.

Fatal incident

The aircraft was carrying 68 passengers and four crew members. Videos of the incident show the plane flying low before starting to spin. Officials have now confirmed at least 68 fatalities following the tragic accident. However, this figure continues to rise.

Of the 68 passengers, 53 were Nepali citizens, along with the four crew members. Five Indian, four Russian, and two South Korean passengers were also on board. There were also individual citizens from Australia, Argentina, France, and Ireland on the aircraft.

Warning: some viewers may find the below video footage in the Twitter posts disturbing:

Official word

Nepal's Prime Minister. Pushpa Kamal Dahal, stated the following about the crash:

"I am deeply saddened by the sad and tragic accident of Yeti Airlines ANC ATR 72 which was flying from Kathmandu to Pokhara with passengers. I sincerely appeal to the security personnel, all agencies of the Nepal government and the general public to start an effective rescue."

Local resident Arun Tamu reached the crash site just minutes after the accident. He shared the following, according to Reuters:

“Half of the plane is on the hillside. The other half has fallen into the gorge of the Seti river."

Footage shows several people rushing to the scene to try and help while clouds of black smoke emit from the crashed turboprop.

We will continue to update the story with any further news from officials in Nepal.

ATR has since released a statement following the crash involving its ATR 72-500. The manufacturer said its first thoughts are with all those affected. It added that its specialists are fully committed to assist both the investigation and the airline.

The plane held registration 9N-ANC and was delivered to Yeti Airlines in April 2019. The 15-year-old was previously held by Nok Air, Investec, and Kingfisher Airlines.

A challenging terrain

Nepal hosts some of the highest mountains across the globe. As a result, it can be a tough task to navigate some regions, especially when it comes to takeoff and landing. As a result, airlines often try to avoid flying over the Himalayas if they can.

Still, it’s not often possible during domestic and regional missions. Just last year, we reported on a Tara Air de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter crashing in Sanosware, Nepal, causing fatalities to all occupants on board.

Source: Reuters