Umamah Bakharia | ub@radioislam.co.za

2 min read
16 January 2023 | 13:00 CAT

At least 72 people were killed on Sunday when a domestic flight crashed near the runway in Pokhara in Nepal with the prime minister declaring Monday a national day of mourning.

Scene of the plane crash that claimed the lives of approximately 70 people.
Picture credit: Nepalnews

Local TV footage shows rescue workers on the scene where the Yeti Airline flight carrying 72 people from the capital Kathmandu went down.

Officials say the direct cause of the incident has not been established yet as the pilot had not reported “anything untoward” of the aircraft.

Meanwhile, cellphone footage shows how the plane slanted to its side sharply as it approached the runway when it hit the ground in the nearby Seti River, approximately one kilometre from the airport.

In a statement, Yeti Airlines spokesperson, Anup Joshi said the “mountains were clear and visibility was good”, adding there was a light wind and “no issue with the weather”.

The incident according to the Aviation Safety Network database, is Nepal’s deadliest air crash since 1992, when a Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A300 crashed into a hillside upon approach to Kathmandu and killed all 167 people on board.

Nepal government confirmed that it has established a panel to investigate the cause of the crash and it is expected to report within 45 days.