Nepal plane crash wreckage found
February 24, 2016
A plane reported missing on Wednesday has been found crashed in the mountains of Nepal in the Myagdi district. The burned plane was surrounded by several bodies from the crash, the country's aviation minister Aananda Prasad Pokharel told the AFP news agency.
All 23 people on board the plane were killed. This revises an earlier death toll of 21.
No survivors
All but two of those on board the Twin Otter aircraft (similar to the one pictured above) were Nepalese. The other two victims were from China and Kuwait. The flight was operated by Tara Air, which said three of the victims were crew members.
The flight had taken off from the town of Pokhara on Wednesday but lost contact with air traffic control eight minutes later. The plane was headed to Jomsom, which is usually an 18-minute flight. Jomson, 220 miles (350 kilometers) west of Kathmandu, is a popular area for trekking in the Himalayas.
Recovery crews are still trying to reach the wreckage on the ground, but more time will likely be needed before they reach the crash site.
Poor safety record
In 60 years, Nepal has suffered more than 70 crashes and more than 700 fatalities, leaving the country's aviation sector open to strong criticism from international authorities.
In December 2013, the European Union banned all Nepalese airlines from flying to destinations within the bloc.
Air crashes in recent years have been attributed to pilot inexperience, inadequate maintenance and poor management.
In 2014, a Nepal Airlines plane carrying 18 people crashed and killed all aboard in an area similar to that of the plane in Wednesday's crash.
mz/jil (AFP, AP, dpa)