At least 16 people were killed when a plane carrying 72 people crashed in Nepal on Sunday morning, a military spokesman said.
An Eti Air flight carrying 68 passengers and 4 crew members crashed near Pokhara International Airport. Kathmandu Post reported, quoting an airline spokesperson. Two infants and 10 foreigners were also on board.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal called an emergency meeting of cabinet members after the accident and ordered security personnel to immediately assist in rescue operations, the news agency reported.
Dahl said the plane was flying from the capital Kathmandu to Pokhara in central Nepal when it went down.
The Kathmandu Post reported that a rescue team has been dispatched to the crash site by helicopter.
Army spokesperson Krishna Bhandari said that we expect more bodies to be recovered. “The plane broke into pieces.”
Videos of the crash on social media showed flames and smoke billowing from the wrecked twin-engine ATR 72.
People were seen gathering around the wreckage as responders attempted to rescue survivors.
It is not clear if there were any survivors.
Home to eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains, including Everest, weather can change suddenly in Nepal, creating dangerous wind conditions.
With post wires
