Bad weather impeded the search for the airliner and its passengers and crew.
KATHMANDU, Nepal— On Sunday, a search was underway in Nepal for a tiny plane carrying 22 passengers that the government claims crashed on a journey to a Himalayan tourist area.
The Tara Air jet, a Canadian-made de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter carrying 19 passengers and three crew members, took off Sunday morning from Pokhara’s principal city and was bound to Jomsom, a Himalayan town. During the voyage, which typically takes around 30 minutes, air traffic authorities lost communication with the jet.
A Nepal Army official stated the jet may have crashed in the base camp of Manapathi peak, citing residents’ accounts. Locals apparently alerted the army that they saw a “smoking jet” landing into rugged terrain.
“We have shifted our ground seeking and rescue team toward the suspected accident site based on information supplied by locals,” said spokesperson Brig. Gen. Narayan Silwal. “They have yet to arrive at the specified location.”
Because of severe weather, the army was unable to quickly conduct aviation search and rescue operations, according to General Silwal. “Our helicopter rescue crew at Jomsom airport is on standby,” he added, adding that they were “waiting for favourable weather.”
The Nepali Army stated on Twitter that “after our forces get at the spot, only we will be able to verify the facts officially and independently.”
Ground rescue teams, comprising police, military, and residents, have been assembled. “Once the weather conditions improve, an air rescue team will arrive,” General Silwal added. “Otherwise, reaching out today will be difficult.”
Jomsom is a famous trekking destination due to its stunningly gorgeous snow-capped mountains. Hindu pilgrims from India, Nepal, and other nations also visit the Muktinath Temple to worship.
According to Sudarshan Bartaula, a Tara Air spokeswoman, 13 of the passengers aboard the plane were Nepalis, four were Hindu pilgrims from India, and two were German hikers.
Nepalese people rely on tiny, twin-engine planes to get across the hilly nation, and mishaps are regular. A Tara Air jet crashed in 2016 while travelling the same route as the one that went missing on Sunday. On the aircraft, none of the 23 passengers and crew members survived.
Crash causes in Nepal are frequently blamed on bad weather, challenging terrain, and outdated planes. Since 2012, the European Union has barred Nepali planes from using its airspace, citing the frequency of crashes. The bloc dismissed Nepal’s last appeal to ease the restriction in March.
