A Nepal airplane crash that claimed 72 lives almost a year ago was likely the result of human error. According to a government-appointed investigator - the Yeti airplane - flying from Kathmandu to the tourist town of Pokhran.

Nepal plane crash: Deadliest plane crash in 30 years, probe points to lack of technical training

The five Mexican nationals killed in a helicopter crash in eastern Nepal near Mount Everest on Tuesday had visited India before touring the Himalayan nation for sightseeing.

The Manang Air helicopter 9N-AMV took off from Surke Airport in Solukhumbu district at 10:04 am for Kathmandu on Tuesday and suddenly lost contact at an altitude above 12,000 feet at 10.13 am (local time).

The helicopter crashed in the Lamjura area of Likhupike Rural Municipality in the remote mountainous Solukhumbu district.

The dead pilot has been identified as Captain CB Gurung, a Nepali national. The five passengers killed in the crash — all of them Mexican nationals — were identified as Fernando Sifuentes (95), Abril Sifuentes Gonzalez (72), Luz Gonzalez Olacio (65), Maria Jose Sifuentes (52) and Ismael Rincon (98).

The family had also visited India as one of the victims, Abril Sifuentes Gonzalez, on July 5 posted a photo of herself on a social media platform in front of the Taj Mahal days before the accident.

Mexico's Ambassador to India Federico Salas said that the victims were family members originally from Nuevo Leon, according to Mexican News Daily.

"It was a family of five people, in effect, who were tourists. They went to Nepal. (...) They were a father and mother and three children. (...) The parents and children were adults, they were not little ones", Salas was quoted as saying by the Infobae Mexico.

Meanwhile, the bodies have been airlifted to Kathmandu and are kept at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital for post-mortem, Gyanendra Bhul, Information Officer at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), The Himalayan Times newspaper was quoted as saying.

Speaking to the media in Janakpurdham, Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Minister Sudan Kirati announced that the government would conduct a comprehensive investigation to uncover the factors that led to this unfortunate incident.

"All the passengers who died were from the same Mexican family and had flown to the Khumbu region yesterday for mountain flight as well to observe Sherpa culture," Director of Manang Air, Mukti Pandey said.

Nepal's tourist and mountaineering season ended in May. The flights carrying tourists to the mountains are less common this time of year as visibility is poor and weather conditions fickle.

Founded in 1997, Manang Air is a helicopter airline based in Kathmandu. It has been operating helicopters in commercial air transportation within the Nepalese territory under the Regulation of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.

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The company provides chartered services and is focused on personalised services such as adventure flights, helicopter excursions or expedition work.

Nepal has had a fraught record of aviation accidents, partly due to its sudden weather changes and airstrips located in hard-to-access rocky terrains.

According to the record of CAAN, 35 fatal helicopter crashes have occurred in Nepal.

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In 2023 alone, four helicopter crashes were reported in the country.

In early May, a Simrik Air helicopter crashed in Sankhuwasabha district resulting in the tragic death of one passenger, while four others sustained injuries. Likewise, Heli Everest and Air Dynasty helicopters crashed this year, but there was no casualty.'

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The five Mexican nationals killed in a helicopter crash in eastern Nepal near Mount Everest on Tuesday had visited India before touring the Himalayan nation for sightseeing.

The five Mexican nationals killed in a helicopter crash in eastern Nepal near Mount Everest on Tuesday had visited India before touring the Himalayan nation for sightseeing. The Manang Air helicopter 9N-AMV took off from Surke Airport in Solukhumbu district at 10:04 am for Kathmandu on Tuesday and suddenly lost contact at an altitude above 12,000 feet at 10.13 am (local time). The helicopter crashed in the Lamjura area of Likhupike Rural Municipality in the remote mountainous Solukhumbu district. The dead pilot has been identified as Captain CB Gurung, a Nepali national. The five passengers killed in the crash — all of them Mexican nationals — were identified as Fernando Sifuentes (95), Abril Sifuentes Gonzalez (72), Luz Gonzalez Olacio (65), Maria Jose Sifuentes (52) and Ismael Rincon (98). The family had also visited India as one of the victims, Abril Sifuentes Gonzalez, on July 5 posted a photo of herself on a social media platform in front of the Taj Mahal days before the accident. Mexico's Ambassador to India Federico Salas said that the victims were family members originally from Nuevo Leon, according to Mexican News Daily. "It was a family of five people, in effect, who were tourists. They went to Nepal. (...) They were a father and mother and three children. (...) The parents and children were adults, they were not little ones", Salas was quoted as saying by the Infobae Mexico. Meanwhile, the bodies have been airlifted to Kathmandu and are kept at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital for post-mortem, Gyanendra Bhul, Information Officer at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), The Himalayan Times newspaper was quoted as saying. Speaking to the media in Janakpurdham, Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Minister Sudan Kirati announced that the government would conduct a comprehensive investigation to uncover the factors that led to this unfortunate incident. "All the passengers who died were from the same Mexican family and had flown to the Khumbu region yesterday for mountain flight as well to observe Sherpa culture," Director of Manang Air, Mukti Pandey said. Nepal's tourist and mountaineering season ended in May. The flights carrying tourists to the mountains are less common this time of year as visibility is poor and weather conditions fickle. Founded in 1997, Manang Air is a helicopter airline based in Kathmandu. It has been operating helicopters in commercial air transportation within the Nepalese territory under the Regulation of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. Also read | Nepal PM's wife Sita Dahal dies after suffering cardiac arrest The company provides chartered services and is focused on personalised services such as adventure flights, helicopter excursions or expedition work. Nepal has had a fraught record of aviation accidents, partly due to its sudden weather changes and airstrips located in hard-to-access rocky terrains. According to the record of CAAN, 35 fatal helicopter crashes have occurred in Nepal. Also read | Pak journalist fired for asking questions to PM Shehbaz Sharif about freedom of expression: Report In 2023 alone, four helicopter crashes were reported in the country. In early May, a Simrik Air helicopter crashed in Sankhuwasabha district resulting in the tragic death of one passenger, while four others sustained injuries. Likewise, Heli Everest and Air Dynasty helicopters crashed this year, but there was no casualty.' WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Mexican family killed in chopper crash visited India before touring Nepal

Officials on Wednesday said that there was no chance of finding any survivors in Nepal's deadliest air crash in 30 years. Rescue teams are using drones and rappelling down the 200-metre deep gorge into which the Yeti Airlines ATR 72 turboprop carrying 72 people crashed on Sunday in Pokhara just before landing. Seventy one bodies have been retrieved till now.

"There is no possibility of finding any survivor. We have collected 71 bodies so far. The search for the last one will continue," Tek Bahadur KC, a top district official in Pokhara, said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Ajay KC, a police official at the rescue site, said that identifying bodies and accounting for all 72 people has been difficult because of the state of the remains.

"Until the hospital tests show all 72 bodies, we’ll continue to search for the last person," he said.

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Sixty eight bodies were found on the day of the crash, while two more were recovered on Monday. One more body was found late Tuesday afternoon. The flow of a nearby river was diverted to look for bodies, said Gurudutt Ghimire, another official who is part of search operations.

"There is nothing left there. But the search will continue," Ghimire said.

Meanwhile, the process of returning bodies to the families also began on Tuesday. Hospital workers loaded bodies wrapped in plastic onto army trucks, which then left for the airport, where the bodies were to be airlifted back to the capital Kathmandu.

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"Eight bodies have been handed to families. We will hand over another 14 bodies after completing autopsies here in Pokhara. Forty-eight bodies have been sent to Kathmandu for DNA tests and handover to the families," police official AK Chhetri said.

The cause of the crash was not yet known. However, a video on social media showed the twin-engine aircraft banking suddenly and sharply to the left as it neared Pokhara airport. A loud explosion can then be heard.

On Monday, searchers found the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder in good condition. They will prove imperative in discovering the cause of the crash. Since Nepal does not have facilities to read black boxes, the devices will be sent wherever the manufacturer recommends.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Officials on Wednesday said that there was no chance of finding any survivors in Nepal's deadliest air crash in 30 years. Rescue teams are using drones and rappelling down the 200-metre deep gorge into which the Yeti Airlines ATR 72 turboprop carrying 72 people crashed on Sunday in Pokhara just before landing.

Officials on Wednesday said that there was no chance of finding any survivors in Nepal's deadliest air crash in 30 years. Rescue teams are using drones and rappelling down the 200-metre deep gorge into which the Yeti Airlines ATR 72 turboprop carrying 72 people crashed on Sunday in Pokhara just before landing. Seventy one bodies have been retrieved till now. "There is no possibility of finding any survivor. We have collected 71 bodies so far. The search for the last one will continue," Tek Bahadur KC, a top district official in Pokhara, said on Wednesday. Ajay KC, a police official at the rescue site, said that identifying bodies and accounting for all 72 people has been difficult because of the state of the remains. "Until the hospital tests show all 72 bodies, we’ll continue to search for the last person," he said. Also Read | Air Hostess Oshin Ale's video before Nepal plane crash goes viral, father recalls LAST CONVERSATION Sixty eight bodies were found on the day of the crash, while two more were recovered on Monday. One more body was found late Tuesday afternoon. The flow of a nearby river was diverted to look for bodies, said Gurudutt Ghimire, another official who is part of search operations. "There is nothing left there. But the search will continue," Ghimire said. Meanwhile, the process of returning bodies to the families also began on Tuesday. Hospital workers loaded bodies wrapped in plastic onto army trucks, which then left for the airport, where the bodies were to be airlifted back to the capital Kathmandu. × "Eight bodies have been handed to families. We will hand over another 14 bodies after completing autopsies here in Pokhara. Forty-eight bodies have been sent to Kathmandu for DNA tests and handover to the families," police official AK Chhetri said. The cause of the crash was not yet known. However, a video on social media showed the twin-engine aircraft banking suddenly and sharply to the left as it neared Pokhara airport. A loud explosion can then be heard. On Monday, searchers found the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder in good condition. They will prove imperative in discovering the cause of the crash. Since Nepal does not have facilities to read black boxes, the devices will be sent wherever the manufacturer recommends. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Nepal plane crash: No hopes of finding any survivors, officials say

Rescue teams were searching for two passengers unaccounted for Tuesday morning from the deadliest plane crash in the country in 30 years. They are using drones and rappelling down the 200-metre deep gorge into which the Yeti Airlines ATR 72 turboprop carrying 72 people crashed on Sunday just before landing. Seventy bodies have been retrieved till now.

Two more bodies were found on Monday before the search was called off because of fading light. Bad weather and the terrain in Pokhara are hampering rescue efforts.&nbsp;

"There is thick fog here now. We are sending search and rescue personnel using ropes into the gorge where parts of the plane fell and was in flames," Ajay KC, a police official in Pokhara who is part of the rescue efforts, told Reuters.

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"There were small children among the passengers...and may not be found out (since the plane had caught fire). We will continue to look for them," KC said.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Nepali hospital staff began handing over bodies to grieving families on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Up to 10 bodies were transferred by army truck from Pokhara hospital to the airport from where they will&nbsp;be airlifted back to&nbsp;Kathmandu. Another three bodies were handed over to grieving families in Pokhara, with others due to follow.

&nbsp;The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were found on Monday, both in good condition. The black boxes will help investigators understand what caused the crash.

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Under international aviation rules, the crash investigation agencies of the countries where the plane and engines were designed and built are automatically part of the inquiry. ATR is based in France and the plane's engines were manufactured in Canada by Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada.

French and Canadian air accident investigators have said they plan to participate in the probe.

A Pokhara airport spokesman had said that the pilot of the crashed flight did not report "anything untoward" as the plane approached the airport. Anup Joshi said that the "mountains were clear and visibility was good" and the weather was perfectly fine.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Rescue teams were searching for two passengers unaccounted for Tuesday morning from the deadliest plane crash in the country in 30 years. They are using drones and rappelling down the 200-metre deep gorge into which the Yeti Airlines ATR 72 turboprop carrying 72 people crashed on Sunday just before landing.

Rescue teams were searching for two passengers unaccounted for Tuesday morning from the deadliest plane crash in the country in 30 years. They are using drones and rappelling down the 200-metre deep gorge into which the Yeti Airlines ATR 72 turboprop carrying 72 people crashed on Sunday just before landing. Seventy bodies have been retrieved till now. Two more bodies were found on Monday before the search was called off because of fading light. Bad weather and the terrain in Pokhara are hampering rescue efforts. "There is thick fog here now. We are sending search and rescue personnel using ropes into the gorge where parts of the plane fell and was in flames," Ajay KC, a police official in Pokhara who is part of the rescue efforts, told Reuters. Also Read | Deceased co-pilot’s husband also flew same airline, died in crash 16 years ago "There were small children among the passengers...and may not be found out (since the plane had caught fire). We will continue to look for them," KC said. Meanwhile, Nepali hospital staff began handing over bodies to grieving families on Tuesday. Up to 10 bodies were transferred by army truck from Pokhara hospital to the airport from where they will be airlifted back to Kathmandu. Another three bodies were handed over to grieving families in Pokhara, with others due to follow. The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were found on Monday, both in good condition. The black boxes will help investigators understand what caused the crash. × Under international aviation rules, the crash investigation agencies of the countries where the plane and engines were designed and built are automatically part of the inquiry. ATR is based in France and the plane's engines were manufactured in Canada by Pratt & Whitney Canada. French and Canadian air accident investigators have said they plan to participate in the probe. A Pokhara airport spokesman had said that the pilot of the crashed flight did not report "anything untoward" as the plane approached the airport. Anup Joshi said that the "mountains were clear and visibility was good" and the weather was perfectly fine. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

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Nepal plane crash: Deadliest plane crash in 30 years, probe points to lack of technical training

Mexican family killed in chopper crash visited India before touring Nepal

Nepal plane crash: No hopes of finding any survivors, officials say

Nepal plane crash: 70 bodies retrieved as rescuers search for two missing passengers

Nepal's sad history of aviation disasters: A timeline of deadly plane crashes in the Himalayan nation