Aircraft missing with 22 on board

SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, DEC 15 -
A Twin Otter aircraft belonging to Tara Air went missing on Wednesday with 22 people on board. The Rescue Coordination Centre at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) suspected that the aircraft crashed in Kunta Devi Village Development Committee in Okhaldhunga district.

Spokesperson at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation Laxman Prasad Bhattarai said they are yet to confirm if the aircraft that took off from Lamidanda in Khotang district to Kathmandu crashed. According to him, helicopters have been sent to look for the missing aircraft. However, the search mission was cancelled late in the evening due to heavy clouds.

According to the Post’s Khotang correspondent, Deputy Superintendent of Police Tek Bahadur Tamang said the plane did not land in any airport nearby.

The aircraft took off at 03: 08 p.m. and was scheduled to land in Kathmandu at 8: 40 p.m.

Along with Captain Anup Raj Shakya, Co-pilot Sachindra Shrestha and Air Hostess Sudiksha Gurung, there were 18 Bhutanese and one foreigner in the flight, the airline said. The Bhutanese were in Nepal to take part in the SAARC Trade Fair in Kathmandu.

Locals of Okhaldhunga said they heard a loud sound across Musunga Khola. “Police and Army personnel have been sent to comb the area,” chief of the Air Traffic Control (ATC) at the TIA, Kamlesh Lal Karna, quoted the CDO of Okhaldhunga as saying.

ATC officer at the Kathmandu airport, Bhes Raj Adhikari, said the pilot had contacted the tower at around 03: 13 pm as part of its regular reporting and no technical difficulties had been reported then. While the weather in the sector was fair, the ATC declared an emergency when the flight failed to establish contact for almost 30 minutes.

General Manager at the TIA Dinesh Shrestha said the search mission will continue on Thursday morning.