19 killed in Nepal plane crash - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Nineteen passengers including three crew members killed after the Dornier Aircraft 9N-AHA of Sita Air crashed just a kilometer far from the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu Friday morning. According to Sita Air employee Kapil Karki, who is at the crash site, of the total deceased, 12 were foreigners and seven were Nepalese. The aircraft was on its way for a mountain flight to Lukla from Kathmandu Airport at 6:10 am this morning. Identifications of the deceased foreigners have not been ascertained yet. Karki said most of the deceased were Italian citizens. There might not have been any Chinese nationals, said Karki. The aircraft crashed within a few minutes of its take off after air controller office of TIA gave a signal. So far, only the crew members have been identified as pilot Bijay Tandukar, co-pilot Takeshi Thapa and airhostess Roja Shakya, said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jaya Bahadur Chand who is at the crash site. Staffs of the Sita Air have their saying that the crash may be due to 'on air fire or it could be struck to a bird' on air while it was taking a height. The front part of the aircraft was totally burnt down and only the tail is remaining safe, said SSP Chand. Seven fire engines were deployed to douse off the fire that set ablaze on the plane after crash. Police were currently taking out the bodies of the deceased passengers.