LIVE Updates | Plane with 72 people onboard crashes in Nepal's Pokhara, no survivors

LIVE Updates | A 72-passenger aircraft operated by Yeti Airlines has crashed at the Pokhara International Airport in Nepal. Search and rescue operations are underway.

Image for representation

A 72-seater passenger aircraft crashes on the runway at the Pokhara International Airport in Nepal. As per ANI, a total of 68 passengers and four crew members were on board the Yeti Airlines aircraft that crashed between the old airport and the Pokhara International Airport, Sudarshan Bartaula, spokesperson of Yeti Airlines mentioned to a local publication. Rescue operations are underway and the airport is closed for the time being. As per the latest updates, Yeti Airlines was operating an ANC ATR 72 aircraft, which was flying from Kathmandu to Pokhara with 68 passengers. Rescue operations are underway and the airport is closed for the time being.

"I am deeply saddened by the tragic accident of Yeti Airlines ANC ATR 72, which was flying from Kathmandu to Pokhara with passengers. I sincerely appeal to the security personnel, all agencies of the Nepal government and the general public to start an effective rescue," said Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Twitter.

Check LIVE UPDATES of Nepal Plane Crash here.

15 January 2023

18:57 IST

ATR Statement

"ATR has been informed that an accident occurred in Nepal involving an ATR 72-500 aircraft. Our thoughts are with the affected individuals. The ATR specialists are fully engaged to support both the investigation & the customer," ATR Aircraft statement.

17:00 IST

Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed that all 72 of the passengers died in the plane crash at Pokhara International Airport.

16:54 IST

Out of 72 people on the Yeti Airline plane, 68 have been declared the Nepal plane crash as per Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority. There were 53 Nepali citizens, 5 Indians, 4 Russians, One Irish, 2 Koreans, 1 Argentinian, and a French national on the aircraft.

16:33 IST

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar shares condolences on Nepal plane crash

Addressing the plane crash at Pokhra Airport in Nepal, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar shared his condolences, "deeply grieved hearing about the crash."

Deeply grieved on hearing about the air crash in Pokhara, Nepal. Our thoughts are with the affected families. https://t.co/ebXxx4rCbo

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 15, 2023

16:22 IST

Reports suggest that the death toll in the Nepal plane crash has increased to 64 out of 72 people present on board the plane, including 4 crew members and 4 Indians.

15:41 IST

Visuals of Nepal plane crash rescue operations surface

Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', along with Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane to arrive in Pokhara today, in wake of the aircraft crash at Pokhara airport.

A five-member committee has been formed to investigate the reasons for the crash.

Visuals from the spot. pic.twitter.com/nOi5mTh7cF

— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2023

15:29 IST

At least 44 have been killed in Nepal plane crash, as per a Reuters report. Among these, 30 bodies have been found and sent to hospital by the rescuers while the search for more is underway.

15:13 IST

Nepal declares one day mourning in wake of plane crash

Nepal government has declared one day of mourning in wake of the plane crash that claimed the lives of at least 40 people out of 72 people onboard.

15:03 IST

Nepal plane crash LIVE: Government sets up panel to investigate accident

Nepal government has appointed a panel with 5 members to investigate the plane crash. The crash of Yeti Airlines ATR72 aircraft at Pokhara Airport claimed multiple lives and injured several.

14:52 IST

Nepal plane crash: PM Prachanda, Home Minister Lamichhane to arrive at Pokhara Airport today

Nepal's Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane will arrive today at the Pokhara International Airport because of the recent crash at the airport's runway.

14:38 IST

Nepal plane crash: Identity of 5 Indians onboard Yeti airlines aircraft revealed

The Indian Embassy of Nepal has confirmed that 5 Indians were onboard the plane that crashed in Nepal. Now the identity of the Indians has been revealed as Abhisekh Kushwaha, Bishal Sharma, Anil Kumar Rajbhar, Sonu Jaiswal, and Sanjaya Jaiswal.

An ATR-72 plane of Yeti Airlines crashed today near the Pokhara Airport while flying from Kathmandu. According to the info provided by Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, 5 Indians were travelling on this flight. Rescue operations are underway. pic.twitter.com/rkLC3QbStn

— IndiaInNepal (@IndiaInNepal) January 15, 2023

14:28 IST

Pokhara airport crash worst air accident in Nepal in last 5 years

According to Aviation Safety Network, the accident is the deadliest in Nepal since March 2018, when a US-Bangla Dash 8 turboprop flight from Dhaka crashed on landing in Kathmandu, killing 51 of the 71 persons on board.

14:18 IST

Indian Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia condoles Nepal plane crash

Indian Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia shared his condolences on the plane at Pokhara International airport via his Twitter account and called it "extremely unfortunate". 

The loss of lives in a tragic plane crash in Nepal is extremely unfortunate. My thoughts & prayers are with the families of the bereaved. Om Shanti.

— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) January 15, 2023

14:13 IST

Nepal has a poor aviation safety record; Here's the reason WHY?

The landlocked Himalayan country has a history of multiple planes crashes, including the crash on May 29, 2022, when a turboprop Twin Otter 9N-AET plane operated by Nepal's Tara Air went missing 15 min into the flight, losing communication with the ATC.

14:07 IST

PM Prachanda inaugurated Nepal's Pokhara Airport, which is also the country's third international airport built with Chinese assistance to provide direct flight services to one of the most popular destinations in the country.

14:03 IST

Nepal plane crash: Yeti Airlines plane took off at 10:33 am from Kathmandu

As per the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the plane took off from Kathmandu aircraft at 10:33 am and crash-landed at Pokhara Airport. It is to be noted that the city of lakes is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.

13:48 IST

Nepal plane crash update: Indian Embassy in Nepal releases helpline numbers

Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal, has taken cognizance of the incident and released helpline numbers while rescue operations are underway.

Helplines of Embassy:
I) Kathmandu: Shri Diwakar Sharma:+977-9851107021

II) Pokhara: Lt Col Shashank Tripathi: +977-9856037699
Helpline contacts of Embassy:

Embassy is in touch with local authorities and is monitoring the situation.

N2/2

— IndiaInNepal (@IndiaInNepal) January 15, 2023

13:33 IST

Nepal plane crash: Aircraft had people of different nationality

Nepal plane crash had 72 people onboard, including 53 Nepali citizens, 5 Indians, 4 Russians, One Irish, 2 Koreans, 1 Argentinian, and a French national, as per the information released by the airport authority.

13:30 IST

Nepal crash LIVE update: PM Prachanda conducts meeting with officials

PM Prachanda conducts a meeting with the officials post Yeti Airlines plane crash.

13:25 IST

SCARY VISUALS: Video shows final moments of Yeti Airlines plane

The plane with Yeti Airlines' green and white livery can be seen approaching the Pokhara Airport runway , as seen in the video shot by a local from a building close to the airport.

13:07 IST

Nepal Plane crash LIVE update: PM Prachanda reaches Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu

Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has reached the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu following the crash of the Yeti Airlines ATR 72 plane carrying 68 passengers and 4 crew members from Kathmandu to Pokhara.

13:02 IST

A video circulating on social media claims to show the Yeti airlines ATR72 aircraft moments before the crash at Pokhara International Airport.

Unconfirmed video shows Yeti Airlines plane moments before crash in #Nepal pic.twitter.com/y7DLv4CGkG

— Zee News English (@ZeeNewsEnglish) January 15, 2023

12:52 IST

Nepal plane crash LIVE update: Aircraft had 5 Indians onboard

The ATR72 aircraft in the plane crash had 5 Indian onboard, as per Reuters' report.

12:50 IST

List of passengers.

12:47 IST

List of passengers on ATR72 aircraft.

12:44 IST

List of passengers onboard ATR72 aircraft.

12:41 IST

List of passengers onboard ATR72 aircraft surfaces.

12:34 IST

Nepal government summons emergency cabinet meeting following Pokhra crash

Following the passenger aircraft crash at Pokhara International Airport, the government of Nepal has called an emergency meeting of the cabinet. While rescue operations at the airport are underway.

12:33 IST

Plane with 72 people onboard crashes in #Nepal's Pokhara pic.twitter.com/YcWHNGk4wu

— Zee News English (@ZeeNewsEnglish) January 15, 2023

12:21 IST

Nepal's poor aviation safety record

Nepal has a poor air safety record due to the harsh terrain and usage of smaller aircrafts. One May 29, 2022 a turboprop Twin Otter 9N-AET plane operated by Nepal's Tara Air went missing 15 min into the flight, losing communication with the ATC. The plane with 22 onboard, including 19 passengers and 3 crew members was travelling from tourist town of Pokhara, 125 kilometres (80 miles) west of the capital, Kathmandu, and was bound for Jomsom, about 80 km (50 miles) northwest of Pokhara, a popular tourist and a pilgrimage site. All 22 onboard were declared dead later.

12:19 IST

Yeti Airlines is a domestic airline based in Kathmandu, Nepal and has been in operations since last 25 years, with AOC received on 17 August 1998. Since 2019, Yeti Airlines is the first carbon neutral airline in Nepal and South Asia and is the parent company of Tara Air.

12:15 IST

Video moments before the crash

Unconfirmed video on Twitter shows the plane moments before the crash in Pokhara, Nepal.

NEPAL UPDATE -
Visuals of what seems to be moments before the crash of Yeti Airline ATR 72 aircraft. #Nepal #Pokhara #kathmandu #YetiAirlines #planecrash #crash pic.twitter.com/H7sduUWG4Y

— Asia News (@asianewsteam) January 15, 2023

12:10 IST

First visuals of crash

#BREAKING | नेपाल के पोखरा एयरपोर्ट पर विमान हादसा, रनवे पर क्रैश हुआ 72 यात्रियों को ले जा रहा विमान, रेस्क्यू ऑपरेशन जारी #Nepal #FlightCrash @Payodhi_Shashi @manishmedia pic.twitter.com/joEdQreLej

— Zee News (@ZeeNews) January 15, 2023

11:56 IST

Nepal Prime Minister's reaction

11:54 IST

A 72-seater passenger aircraft has crashed on the runway at the Pokhara International Airport in Nepal. The plane was carrying 68 passengers and four crew members and was operated by Yeti Airlines. Sudarshan Bartaula, spokesperson of Yeti Airlines confirmed that the plane crashed between the old airport and the Pokhara International Airport.