Nepali search teams retrieved 16 bodies from the shattered remains of a passenger plane that crashed in the Himalayas on Sunday, leaving six people unaccounted for amid challenging recovery conditions.
The Twin Otter aircraft, operated by Tara Air, lost contact with air traffic control shortly after departing from Pokhara airport in western Nepal bound for Jomsom. The plane was last seen en route to the popular trekking destination when it vanished from radar.
Military and private helicopters conducted extensive searches in treacherous weather, but operations were suspended at night. Resuming on Monday, the Nepal Army shared images of debris scattered across a mountainside, including a wing marked with registration number 9N-AET.
Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Deo Chandra Lal Karn confirmed 16 recovered bodies, stating, "Chances of survival are low, but our efforts continue to find the remaining six." Over 60 personnel, including local guides and emergency workers, were involved in the operation.
The crash occurred at 14,500 feet in Mustang district's Sanosware area. Pokhara Airport official Dev Raj Subedi noted, "The flight seems to have collided with a large rock on the hill," based on recovered imagery showing no signs of fire.
The aircraft, manufactured by Canada's de Havilland in 1979, was operated by Tara Air, a subsidiary of Yeti Airlines. The carrier previously experienced a fatal crash in 2016 on the same route, killing 23 people.
Nepal's aviation sector faces ongoing safety concerns due to limited training and maintenance. The European Union has banned Nepali airlines from its airspace, while the country's mountainous terrain and unpredictable weather contribute to hazardous flying conditions.
Historically, Nepal has seen several aviation disasters, including a 2018 crash near Kathmandu that killed 51 people and a 1992 incident that claimed 167 lives. The nation's remote airports and challenging approaches remain significant risks for pilots.
