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

The Pokhara International Airport in Nepal, the site of the plane crash, was inaugurated only two weeks ago by Nepal’s newly-appointed Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and was built with the assistance of the Chinese.&nbsp;According to reports, the airport was part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) — a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese government in 2013 to invest in nearly 150 countries.

In March 2016, the Nepal government received $215.96 million from China through a loan agreement for the construction of the airport, which is surrounded by the pristine Annapurna Mountain Range, Kathmandu Post newspaper report.

Former Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi handed over the Pokhara Regional International Airport to the then Nepal prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, during a courtesy call held at Baluwatar last year.

<h2>At least 40 bodies recovered in the Pokhara plan crash</h2>

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After the airport’s inauguration ceremony on January 1, Prachanda, who is considered close to China, said that aerial connectivity is the most effective means of connectivity for a landlocked country like Nepal.

"As the country's third international airport, the airport has started operating in Pokhara from today," he said.

"With the opening of this airport, Pokhara's relationship with the international region has been established."

“With the opening of this airport, Pokhara’s relationship with the international region has been established,” he was quoted a saying.

The accident occurred on Sunday at 11 am when the Yeti Airlines airplane was trying to land at the Pokhara airport. The plane crashed on the bank of the Seti River between the old airport and the new airport.

At least 68 people have died, while the rescue efforts are on to retrieve the other passengers.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The Pokhara International Airport in Nepal, the site of the plane crash, was inaugurated only two weeks ago by Nepal’s newly-appointed Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and was built with the assistance of the Chinese.

The Pokhara International Airport in Nepal, the site of the plane crash, was inaugurated only two weeks ago by Nepal’s newly-appointed Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and was built with the assistance of the Chinese. According to reports, the airport was part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) — a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese government in 2013 to invest in nearly 150 countries. In March 2016, the Nepal government received $215.96 million from China through a loan agreement for the construction of the airport, which is surrounded by the pristine Annapurna Mountain Range, Kathmandu Post newspaper report. Former Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi handed over the Pokhara Regional International Airport to the then Nepal prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, during a courtesy call held at Baluwatar last year. At least 40 bodies recovered in the Pokhara plan crash After the airport’s inauguration ceremony on January 1, Prachanda, who is considered close to China, said that aerial connectivity is the most effective means of connectivity for a landlocked country like Nepal. "As the country's third international airport, the airport has started operating in Pokhara from today," he said. "With the opening of this airport, Pokhara's relationship with the international region has been established." “With the opening of this airport, Pokhara’s relationship with the international region has been established,” he was quoted a saying. The accident occurred on Sunday at 11 am when the Yeti Airlines airplane was trying to land at the Pokhara airport. The plane crashed on the bank of the Seti River between the old airport and the new airport. At least 68 people have died, while the rescue efforts are on to retrieve the other passengers. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Nepal plane crash: Pokhara International Airport was inaugurated two weeks ago, built with Chinese assistance

At least 68&nbsp;people were killed after a&nbsp;passenger airplane with 72 people on board&nbsp;crashed near Pokhara International Airport in Nepal on Sunday (January 15) minutes before&nbsp;its scheduled landing, reported AFP. The officially declared death toll stands&nbsp;at 68 currently. It was a Yeti Airlines flight. Rescue operations were still underway at the time of the filing of this report and the airport had been closed. The condition of the four remaining flyers was not known yet. There were 68 passengers and four crew members, including two pilots and two airhostesses on the plane. Those on board included three infants and three children. There were five Indians on the flight among the 15 foreigners on the flight. 
 
The flight had taken off from Kathmandu and was headed to Pokhara. The plane crashed minutes before landing, broke and caught fire which was doused later. &nbsp;

A press statement by the&nbsp;Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal informed that there were&nbsp;53 passengers from Nepal, 5 from India, 4 from Russian, 2 from Korea,&nbsp;and one each from Ireland, Australia,&nbsp;Argentina and&nbsp;France on the flight.&nbsp;

Pokhara,&nbsp;one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nepal, is famous for its natural beauty, and for being the gateway to the Annapurna region and&nbsp;is about 200 kilometres from Nepalese capital Kathmandu.&nbsp; 
 
ATR identified the crashed plane as an ATR 72-500. According to plane tracking data from flightradar24.com, the aircraft was 15 years old and “equipped with an old transponder with unreliable data.”

Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda and Home Minister Ravi Lamichane were&nbsp;at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu overseeing the rescue effort. 
 
The Nepal government formed a five-member commission of inquiry to probe the Yeti Airlines plane crash in Pokhara.&nbsp;The emergency meeting of the Council of Ministers also announced a public holiday on January 16 to mourn the victims of the crash.&nbsp; 
 
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel said that the government has decided to observe one day of mourning.

<img alt="Nepal" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="07fea2a0-9adc-4189-8fba-78ef932c1c34" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-01-15%20at%2012.38.54.jpeg" />

(Image: ANI)

 
“The incident was tragic. All forces have been deployed for rescue (operations). The investigation is going on now. I have called an emergency cabinet meeting, and I&nbsp;am going to the cabinet meeting,” Prachanda&nbsp;told the media earlier.

As per the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) Yeti Airlines' 9N-ANC ATR-72 aircraft took off from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport at 10:33 am.&nbsp;

The aircraft crashed while it was trying to land at Pokhara airport. It crashed on the bank of the Seti river between the old airport and the new one.

"So far, dead bodies of 68 people have been recovered from the crash site," an official at the Search and Rescue Coordination Committee of the CAAN told the news agency PTI over the phone.&nbsp;However, the dead bodies are yet to be identified, he added.&nbsp; 
 
The five Indians have been identified as Sanjay Jaiswal, Sonu Jaiswal, Anil Kumar Rajbhar, Abhishek Kushwaha and Vishal Sharma.&nbsp;

India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar shared the helpline numbers of the Indian Embassy in Nepal in a tweet and said,&nbsp;“Deeply grieved on hearing about the air crash in Pokhara, Nepal. Our thoughts are with the affected families.”

Plane crashes are common in Nepal, which has a poor flight safety record. 
 
Nepali airlines are banned from European Union airspace since 2013 after eight Britons were killed in a Kathmandu plane crash. 
 
In May 2022, all the 22 people, including four Indians, onboard a Tara Air flight on a Canadian-built turboprop Twin Otter 9N-AET plane were killed after it had crashed in Nepal’s mountainous Mustang district after departing from Pokhara. 
 
The Yeti Air crash on Sunday was the deadliest in Nepal since 1992, when a Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A300 had crashed. On September 28, 1992, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Flight 268 had crashed while approaching Kathmandu-Tribhuvan Airport (KTM). All 167 passengers and crew were killed, making it the deadliest ever crash involving PIA and the worst crash in the history of Nepalese aviation.

Nepal, a Himalayan country, has some of the world's most remote and trickiest runways. Many of these are located between high, snow-capped mountain peaks, something that throws up challenges for even the most experienced pilots.

Nepal's aviation industry has been plagued by poor safety records. Insufficient training and maintenance are said to be the reasons.

Aircraft operators say Nepal lacks infrastructure for accurate weather forecasts, especially in remote areas with challenging mountainous terrain where deadly crashes have taken place in the past.&nbsp;

The weather can also change quickly in the mountains, creating treacherous flying conditions.

(With inputs from agencies)

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At least 68 people were killed after a passenger airplane with 72 people on board crashed near Pokhara International Airport in Nepal on Sunday (January 15) minutes before its scheduled landing, reported AFP.

At least 68 people were killed after a passenger airplane with 72 people on board crashed near Pokhara International Airport in Nepal on Sunday (January 15) minutes before its scheduled landing, reported AFP. The officially declared death toll stands at 68 currently. It was a Yeti Airlines flight. Rescue operations were still underway at the time of the filing of this report and the airport had been closed. The condition of the four remaining flyers was not known yet. There were 68 passengers and four crew members, including two pilots and two airhostesses on the plane. Those on board included three infants and three children. There were five Indians on the flight among the 15 foreigners on the flight. The flight had taken off from Kathmandu and was headed to Pokhara. The plane crashed minutes before landing, broke and caught fire which was doused later. A press statement by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal informed that there were 53 passengers from Nepal, 5 from India, 4 from Russian, 2 from Korea, and one each from Ireland, Australia, Argentina and France on the flight. Pokhara, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nepal, is famous for its natural beauty, and for being the gateway to the Annapurna region and is about 200 kilometres from Nepalese capital Kathmandu. ATR identified the crashed plane as an ATR 72-500. According to plane tracking data from flightradar24.com, the aircraft was 15 years old and “equipped with an old transponder with unreliable data.” Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda and Home Minister Ravi Lamichane were at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu overseeing the rescue effort. The Nepal government formed a five-member commission of inquiry to probe the Yeti Airlines plane crash in Pokhara. The emergency meeting of the Council of Ministers also announced a public holiday on January 16 to mourn the victims of the crash. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel said that the government has decided to observe one day of mourning. (Image: ANI) “The incident was tragic. All forces have been deployed for rescue (operations). The investigation is going on now. I have called an emergency cabinet meeting, and I am going to the cabinet meeting,” Prachanda told the media earlier. As per the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) Yeti Airlines' 9N-ANC ATR-72 aircraft took off from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport at 10:33 am. The aircraft crashed while it was trying to land at Pokhara airport. It crashed on the bank of the Seti river between the old airport and the new one. "So far, dead bodies of 68 people have been recovered from the crash site," an official at the Search and Rescue Coordination Committee of the CAAN told the news agency PTI over the phone. However, the dead bodies are yet to be identified, he added. The five Indians have been identified as Sanjay Jaiswal, Sonu Jaiswal, Anil Kumar Rajbhar, Abhishek Kushwaha and Vishal Sharma. India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar shared the helpline numbers of the Indian Embassy in Nepal in a tweet and said, “Deeply grieved on hearing about the air crash in Pokhara, Nepal. Our thoughts are with the affected families.” Plane crashes are common in Nepal, which has a poor flight safety record. Nepali airlines are banned from European Union airspace since 2013 after eight Britons were killed in a Kathmandu plane crash. In May 2022, all the 22 people, including four Indians, onboard a Tara Air flight on a Canadian-built turboprop Twin Otter 9N-AET plane were killed after it had crashed in Nepal’s mountainous Mustang district after departing from Pokhara. The Yeti Air crash on Sunday was the deadliest in Nepal since 1992, when a Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A300 had crashed. On September 28, 1992, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Flight 268 had crashed while approaching Kathmandu-Tribhuvan Airport (KTM). All 167 passengers and crew were killed, making it the deadliest ever crash involving PIA and the worst crash in the history of Nepalese aviation. Nepal, a Himalayan country, has some of the world's most remote and trickiest runways. Many of these are located between high, snow-capped mountain peaks, something that throws up challenges for even the most experienced pilots. Nepal's aviation industry has been plagued by poor safety records. Insufficient training and maintenance are said to be the reasons. Aircraft operators say Nepal lacks infrastructure for accurate weather forecasts, especially in remote areas with challenging mountainous terrain where deadly crashes have taken place in the past. The weather can also change quickly in the mountains, creating treacherous flying conditions. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Nepal’s worst air crash in 30 years: 68 killed as passenger plane with 72 onboard crashes near Pokhara

An aircraft in Nepal underwent a minor accident when it was attempting for a take-off.

The tyre&nbsp;of Tara Air 9N-ABM aircraft&nbsp;burst just before its take-off.&nbsp;

The accident led to minor injuries to 13 passengers while seriously injuring two others.&nbsp;

The pilot of the aircraft Basanta Lama also suffered serious injuries on his head.&nbsp;

The 13 injured people were police personnel who were returning to Surkhet after completing election duty on Sunday in Humla district.&nbsp;

The passengers in the aircraft were rescued by a Nepal Army chopper.&nbsp;

They were taken to Humla hospital for treatment.&nbsp;

The accident had led to severe damages on the front part of the aircraft.&nbsp;

The incident happened at Simikot airport in north-west Nepal&#39;s mountainous Humla district at around 9 am.

The aircraft was flying to Surkhet.&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

The 13 injured people were police personnel who were returning to Surkhet after completing election duty on Sunday in Humla district

An aircraft in Nepal underwent a minor accident when it was attempting for a take-off. The tyre of Tara Air 9N-ABM aircraft burst just before its take-off. The accident led to minor injuries to 13 passengers while seriously injuring two others. The pilot of the aircraft Basanta Lama also suffered serious injuries on his head. The 13 injured people were police personnel who were returning to Surkhet after completing election duty on Sunday in Humla district. The passengers in the aircraft were rescued by a Nepal Army chopper. They were taken to Humla hospital for treatment. The accident had led to severe damages on the front part of the aircraft. The incident happened at Simikot airport in north-west Nepal's mountainous Humla district at around 9 am. The aircraft was flying to Surkhet.

Nepal aircraft crashes before take-off, 16 injured