Nepal Army search teams confirmed the discovery of a missing passenger plane's wreckage on Monday, following a resumption of operations after darkness halted efforts the previous day.
A military spokesperson noted that additional teams are en route to the site for further assessment, after an initial search team shared imagery of debris scattered across a mountainside. The aircraft's registration number 9N-AET was visible on what appeared to be a wing fragment.
Rescue operations had shifted to a suspected crash site earlier Monday, with helicopters and ground troops attempting to reach the area despite ongoing weather challenges. Pokhara Airport officials stated that GPS, mobile, and satellite signals guided the search efforts.
The Twin Otter aircraft, operated by Tara Air, departed from Pokhara at 9:55 am local time on Sunday bound for Jomsom. Contact with air traffic control was lost 15 minutes into the flight. The plane carried 19 passengers and three crew members, including two Germans, four Indians, and 13 Nepalis.
Jomsom, a Himalayan trekking hub, lies 20 minutes by air from Pokhara, 200 kilometers west of Kathmandu. Tara Air, a subsidiary of Yeti Airlines, has faced safety scrutiny following a 2016 crash on the same route that killed 23 people.
Aviation Safety Concerns ¶
Nepal's aviation sector has expanded to serve remote regions and tourism, but persistent safety issues include inadequate training and maintenance. The European Union maintains a ban on all Nepali airlines in its airspace due to safety risks.
The country's mountainous terrain features challenging runways surrounded by peaks, with rapidly changing weather conditions complicating flights. These factors contribute to the high-risk environment for air travel in the region.
