Bangladeshi plane crashes in Nepal killing at least 50

Mangalore Today News Network

Kathmandu, Mar 12, 2018 : A US-Bangla Airlines aircraft today crashed and burst into flames while landing at Nepal’s Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) here, killing more than 50 people, a top Nepalese official said.

 

 

The plane, en route to Kathmandu from Dhaka, with 67 passengers and four crew members caught fire after it careened off the runway during landing and crashed onto a football ground, TIA spokesperson Prem Nath Thakur said.

There were 33 Nepalese nationals on board flight UBG 211, a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400.

Nepal army spokesman Brigadier General Gokul Bhandari said 50 people had died and the fate of the others was unknown.

"We are carrying out rescue work. We are collecting details," TIA General Manager Raj Kumar Chhetri said.

The black box of the aircraft was recovered from the spot, Chhetri said.

The condition of over two dozen people who were admitted to the hospital in Kathmandu is said to be serious.

Nepal Police Spokesperson DIG Manjo Neupane said that 31 bodies were pulled out from the crashed plane so far and nine others were declared dead at different hospitals.

Plumes of black smoke could be seen rising from the football ground where the plane crashed.

The 17 years aircraft took off from Dhaka and landed at the airport at 2:20 pm (local time).

"The plane shot off the runway while it was about to crash into the hanger and immediately caught fire," an airport official was quoted as saying by the Himalayan Times.

The officials, however, have said a technical glitch could be the cause of the accident.

"The aircraft was permitted to land from the Southern side of the runway over Koteshwor but it landed from the Northern side," Director General of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (Caan) Sanjiv Gautam was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post.

He said the plane was out of control when it attempted to land on the runway.

"We are yet to ascertain the reason behind the unusual landing," he said suspecting the aircraft might have sustained some technical glitches.

Authorities say the fire has now been extinguished and rescue work is on.

All the flights to and from TIA have been halted after the crash.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa and Defense Minister Ishwar Pokharel have reached the airport to take stock of the accident.

The Dhaka-based US-Bangla Airlines is a private carrier that launched in July 2014 with the motto "Fly Fast Fly Safe".

Nepal has witnessed a number of accidents involving aircraft in recent years.

In February 2016, Tara Air’s Twin Otter 400 crashed in Rupse of Myagdi, killing 23 people.

Nepal Airline’s DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 (9N-ABB) crashed near Sandhikharka of Arghakhanchi, killing 18 people in February 2014.

In September 2012, Sita Air’s Dornier 228-202 (9N-AHA) crashed near the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, killing 19 people.

In May 2012, Agni Air’s Dornier 228-212 (9N-AIG) crashed near Jomsom Airport in Mustang, killing 15 people.


courtesy:DHNS