A government official reported Sunday that at least 68 people were killed when an aircraft crashed in Pokhara in central Nepal, the country's deadliest plane crash in more than 30 years.
"Pained by the tragic air crash in Nepal in which precious lives have been lost, including Indian nationals," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted on Sunday. "In this hour of grief, my thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families."
What Happened
Flight NYT 691, an ATR 72-500, was intended to make a quick 24-minute flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara. At 10:32 a.m., the aircraft departed Kathmandu. and the tower was last contacted at 10:50 a.m.
According to local media sources, the pilot asked the plane to land on a different runway before it crashed on the bank of the Seti River.
Nepal's civil aviation authority said authorities and rescue teams flocked to the crash scene to start a search and rescue effort. After continuing into the early evening, officials decided to resume the search on Monday.
Investigations continue into the accident's cause. All flights on Monday, according to Yeti Airlines, would be canceled in respect of the crash victims.
Deadliest Plane Crash in Nepal in Three Decades
Data from the Aviation Safety Network show that Sunday's disaster was the third-deadliest crash in the history of the Himalayan country. Only two occurrences occurred in 1992-in July and September-where there were more fatalities. Around 113 and 167 persons, respectively, died in those crashes involving aircraft operated by Thai Airways and Pakistan International airlines.
Nepal, which is home to eight of the world's 14 tallest mountains, including Everest, has a history of air accidents. Its weather can be unpredictable, and airstrips are often located in remote mountainous areas.
A Tara Air flight carrying 22 people crashed into a Himalayan mountain last May at a height of approximately 14,500 feet. Data from the Aviation Safety Network database shows this was the country's 19th plane disaster in 10 years, and its 10th deadly one.
According to Reuters, approximately 350 people have perished in plane or helicopter crashes in Nepal since 2000. Due to safety concerns, the European Commission's Air Safety List also prevents all Nepali airlines from operating in Europe.
In a statement released on Sunday, ATR stated that it had been made aware of the incident.
"Our first thoughts are with all the individuals affected by this," the statement read. "ATR specialists are fully engaged to support both the investigation and the customer."
