One of the deadliest aviation accidents in the history of the Himalayan nation occurred on Sunday, January 15, when a passenger plane with 72 passengers on board crashed in central Nepal. From Kathmandu to Pokhara, a Yeti Airlines ATR 72 twin-engine turboprop was in the air. Just seconds before it was meant to arrive, it plunged into the valley that separates Pokhara’s local airport from the recently opened international airport.
Although the cause of the crash is still unknown, aviation officials said that the weather was clear. Rescue personnel arrived at the crash site quickly. The hospital had received “several survivors,” according to a local official.
Horrific footage of the plane allegedly before the crash is going viral on social media
According to the video, the plane was allegedly seen flying close to a residential neighborhood before abruptly banking to the left. In the footage, a tremendous explosion can be heard. “I was walking when I heard a loud blast like a bomb went off,” said witness Arun Tamu as quoted by the news agency AFP. The 44-year-old, who was around 500 metres away, posted the live video of the blazing wreckage on social media.
The civil aviation authorities confirmed that out of 72, four were crew members in addition to 68 passengers in the wake of the incident. 53 of the passengers and the entire crew were Nepalis. Additionally, there were fifteen foreign passengers aboard the aircraft: five Indians, four Russians, and two Koreans. Individual Australian, Argentinean, French, and Irish citizens were also in attendance.