Facebook Live Captures Nepal Plane Crash, 'No One Rescued Alive Yet' Says Army
This has been termed Nepal's deadliest air crash since 1992.
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(Trigger warning: The visuals may be disturbing. Viewer discretion advised.)
Video Producer/Editor: Shohini Bose
At least 70 people on board Yeti Airlines aircraft were confirmed dead, after the flight crashed into a river gorge in Nepal on Sunday, 15 January, minutes before landing at Pokhara International Airport.
The number of passengers unaccounted for now stands at two, reported news agency ANI on Monday evening.
Meanwhile, a purported Facebook Live by Sonu Jaiswal, an Indian passenger on the ill-fated aircraft, captured the aircraft taking a sharp turn before it crashed and turned into flames.
The Quint is trying to independently verify the video.
Five Indians onboard confirmed dead: There were five Indian passengers on board the 72-seater ATR-72 aircraft, confirmed the Indian Embassy and airlines. All five are now confirmed to be dead.
Yeti Airlines said that the five Indians onboard were identified as Abhisekh Kushwaha, Bishal Sharma, Anil Kumar Rajbhar, Sonu Jaiswal, and Sanjaya Jaiswal.
Speaking to news agency PTI, district magistrate, Ghazipur, Aryaka Akhauri indicated that four of these men hailed from Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur, and were on a vacation together.
Where rescue efforts stand currently: Spokesperson for the Nepal Army, Krishna Prasad Bhandari indicated that no one has been rescued alive as of yet. Search operations will resume on Monday.
Meanwhile, a five-member team has been formed to investigate the reasons for the crash.
What happened: Yeti Airlines ANC ATR 72, which was flying from Kathmandu to Pokhara, with the call sign 9N-ANC, took off at 10.30 am, General Manager at Tribhuvan International Airport, Premnath Thakur, said to local media.
Yeti Airlines confirmed that the aircraft contacted the control tower one last time at 10.50 am before going off radar.
What Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority said: The Nepal Civil Aviation Authority issued a statement about the aircraft crash late 15 January evening, stating that 68 deaths had been confirmed in the crash.
The aftermath: Following the crash, Pokhara International Airport has was closed for all inbound and outbound flights, and Yeti Airlines tweeted that it would cancel all flights on 16 January save for emergency and rescue flights, in light of the crash.
Additionally, the government of Nepal declared a one-day national mourning on 16 January in wake of the aircraft crash.
Condolences pour in: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal as well as other leaders from the subcontinent offered their condolences in the wake of the tragedy.
In a tweet, Modi offered his thoughts and prayers to the bereaved families of the victims of the aircraft crash.
"Deeply saddened by the crash of a plane carrying 72 passengers and crew members, including some Indians in Pokhara. We express our heartfelt condolences to families of deceased. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragedy," the Ambassador of Nepal to India said after the crash.
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