Nepal plane crash kills 18, probe ordered
- By Kancha Gurung
- Published 10/8/2008
- Disaster
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Rating:
Eighteen people, mostly Western tourists, were killed when a small plane crashed and went up in flames in Nepal's mountainous north Wednesday while the country was busy celebrating Dashain, its biggest festival.
The 9N-AFE Twin Otter belonging to the private Nepali airline, Yeti Airlines, had 19 people on board when the accident took place at Lukla in Solukhumbu district. All but the pilot were killed.
The 18 victims included 12 Germans on holiday, two Australians, two Nepali trekking guides and two members of the crew.
Pilot Surendra Kunwar was the lone survivor of the crash that killed co-pilot Bikash Pant and cabin attendant Sunita Shrestha.
In a quick reaction, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal named a five-member inquiry committee, headed by attorney-general Pushpa Raj Koirala, to probe the accident and submit its report within two months.
This is the first aviation disaster suffered by Nepal's one-month-old Maoist government.
Mohan Adhikari, general manager at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, said the plane crashed while attempting to land at Lukla in Solukhumbu.
Solukhumbu is regarded as the gateway to Mt Everest and other Himalayan ranges.
The aircraft had taken off from Kathmandu at 6.51 a.m. and was going to land at the Tenzing-Hillary Airport, one of the most difficult airports in the world, around 7.31 a.m. when the weather deteriorated, causing the pilot to overshoot the narrow runway and hit the fencing.
Eyewitnesses said the plane burst into flames immediately and most of the bodies were charred beyond recognition.
Yeti Airlines released the names of the passengers, who include seven women.
The list identified the German victims as: M Wiess (F), H. Wiess, A. Thiele (F), U. Thiele, T. Krause, S. Krause (F), B. Thorsten, N. Jankoster (F), A. Blomke, S. Blomke (F), A. Langanke (F), and J. Sauter.
The two Australian passengers were A. Frick and C. Kate (F). The two Nepali guides were identified as Govinda Sharma and Santosh Adhikari.
The pilot was rescued from the blazing cockpit and airdashed to the capital for treatment where he was declared to be 'miraculously' out of danger.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' held an emergency meeting with Home Minister Bamdev Gautam to discuss the lack of modern equipment at the domestic terminals and the need to upgrade them.
The Nepal Army was entrusted with the task of bringing the bodies back to Kathmandu, where they were sent to the Teaching Hospital for autopsy. After the examinations, the remains of the tourists would be handed over to officials from their respective embassies.
Yeti Airlines, a leading domestic flight operator, had tied up with Air Arabia this year to form FlyYeti, a low-cost international airline.
Nepal has a long history of air disasters, mostly caused by bad weather and human error. In March, 10 UN staffers were killed when the helicopter ferrying them to the capital from a Maoist army cantonment crashed in Ramechhap
district east of Kathmandu.
In October 2006, the world was shocked by a crash in eastern Nepal in which 24 people were killed, including Nepal's leading conservationists, WWF officials and a Nepali minister and his wife.
Source: BigNews Network
Photos: Reuters Pictures
Find more about the World's Most Dangerous Airports and Lukla Airport by clicking here
View videos of the LUKLA TRIP from Yeti Airlines
Fly Virtually over Lukla by clicking the button below
The 9N-AFE Twin Otter belonging to the private Nepali airline, Yeti Airlines, had 19 people on board when the accident took place at Lukla in Solukhumbu district. All but the pilot were killed.
The 18 victims included 12 Germans on holiday, two Australians, two Nepali trekking guides and two members of the crew.
Pilot Surendra Kunwar was the lone survivor of the crash that killed co-pilot Bikash Pant and cabin attendant Sunita Shrestha.
In a quick reaction, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal named a five-member inquiry committee, headed by attorney-general Pushpa Raj Koirala, to probe the accident and submit its report within two months.
This is the first aviation disaster suffered by Nepal's one-month-old Maoist government.
Mohan Adhikari, general manager at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, said the plane crashed while attempting to land at Lukla in Solukhumbu.
Solukhumbu is regarded as the gateway to Mt Everest and other Himalayan ranges.
The aircraft had taken off from Kathmandu at 6.51 a.m. and was going to land at the Tenzing-Hillary Airport, one of the most difficult airports in the world, around 7.31 a.m. when the weather deteriorated, causing the pilot to overshoot the narrow runway and hit the fencing.
Eyewitnesses said the plane burst into flames immediately and most of the bodies were charred beyond recognition.
Yeti Airlines released the names of the passengers, who include seven women.
The list identified the German victims as: M Wiess (F), H. Wiess, A. Thiele (F), U. Thiele, T. Krause, S. Krause (F), B. Thorsten, N. Jankoster (F), A. Blomke, S. Blomke (F), A. Langanke (F), and J. Sauter.
The two Australian passengers were A. Frick and C. Kate (F). The two Nepali guides were identified as Govinda Sharma and Santosh Adhikari.
The pilot was rescued from the blazing cockpit and airdashed to the capital for treatment where he was declared to be 'miraculously' out of danger.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' held an emergency meeting with Home Minister Bamdev Gautam to discuss the lack of modern equipment at the domestic terminals and the need to upgrade them.
The Nepal Army was entrusted with the task of bringing the bodies back to Kathmandu, where they were sent to the Teaching Hospital for autopsy. After the examinations, the remains of the tourists would be handed over to officials from their respective embassies.
Yeti Airlines, a leading domestic flight operator, had tied up with Air Arabia this year to form FlyYeti, a low-cost international airline.
Nepal has a long history of air disasters, mostly caused by bad weather and human error. In March, 10 UN staffers were killed when the helicopter ferrying them to the capital from a Maoist army cantonment crashed in Ramechhap
In October 2006, the world was shocked by a crash in eastern Nepal in which 24 people were killed, including Nepal's leading conservationists, WWF officials and a Nepali minister and his wife.
Source: BigNews Network
Photos: Reuters Pictures
Find more about the World's Most Dangerous Airports and Lukla Airport by clicking here
View videos of the LUKLA TRIP from Yeti Airlines
Fly Virtually over Lukla by clicking the button below
Spread The Word
17 Responses to "Nepal plane crash kills 18, probe ordered" 
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said this on 08 Oct 2008 10:55:05 AM CST
Such a Disaster... I feel so sad for this tragic accident. May their soul rest in PEACE.
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said this on 08 Oct 2008 11:16:01 AM CST
Nepal's Airport is very dangerous
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said this on 09 Oct 2008 2:07:08 AM CST
please the goverment of maoist..Bring modern equipements and issue the license for plane after checking it......i heard nepal use old and out dated planes.......our german died and thts not good for your land........
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said this on 14 Oct 2008 10:23:14 AM CST
Mr Gurung, do you think it is nice to use "F" word to a friend who made an appropriate comment and whatever Robert has mentioned here is the truth. Of course the plane belongs to the civil airlines but licensing department is the government department.
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said this on 09 Oct 2008 2:38:58 AM CST
Mr. Robert
No planes can fly to Lukla except the old ones. The modern high speed planes can't go there as it is one of the most dangerous airport in the world in a very high altitude just in the hills surrounded by the mountains. The flight to Lukla is very challenging and an expert pilot is needed. The visibility is very low many times because of the clouds from the mountains. This is a tragic accident and we are very sorry for it. No one can bypass Natures decission. Yes the goverment of NEPAL should clear rocks that is near to the airport and make the management more good. Check up planes etc.. |
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said this on 09 Oct 2008 2:52:13 AM CST
The Pilot survived.. How could he.. It's Amazing.. What a luck. Surviving a Plan crash is 0.1 % But he did..
Lucky man. I heard that the plane hit a rock before landing and then it loosed its control and crashed. Explosion and a big flame followed immediately. Yes Lukla is one of the most dangerous airport in the whole world. |
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said this on 10 Oct 2008 2:03:31 PM CST
I am just curious to know the fact from the sole survivor (Pilot) that what caused the plane crash? How did he manage to survive despite the rest were dead? My sympathy to all the families of deceased. May their soul rest in peace those who died in crash tragically. I personally pray to God not to happen this kind of incident in anybody’s life.
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said this on 11 Oct 2008 2:06:33 AM CST
due to the weather condition and geographical condition
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said this on 11 Oct 2008 5:35:40 AM CST
All the aviation companies of nepal used the oldest and cheapest equipment for the airport . iPleeese for the government of nepal put the money in making the airport sophisticated not in making only and only ur pokets heavy with money . just make the airport equiped with modern equipments
my heartest sympathy to all the near n dearone who have lost their loved ones . may their soul rest in peace |
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said this on 11 Oct 2008 7:41:38 AM CST
yeti airlines will be bankrupt soon
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said this on 13 Oct 2008 3:13:16 PM CST
i think not only yeti airlines accdent can happen everywhere in the world also nepal the wealther sometime its very very danger its changing anytime we dont know suddenli its changine also yes the airport is not moden i think the goverment mostly think about that . and also plan most me not to old and to be good checking before to fly and politle also most be carefull during there flying
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said this on 12 Oct 2008 2:40:17 AM CST
God it's so sad about what has happend to the people that where on board the Plane they where just at the wrong place at the wrong time. but one thing i think is you can not blame the weather for mistakes then again you cant blame anthing till we have the proper fact's
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said this on 12 Oct 2008 4:57:19 AM CST
Yes. what Tilak Gurung has said is absolutely right. Bankruptcy is the best solution. Nepal is not prepared or fully equipped to deal with the weather in high altitude.
Operating worthless and old airplanes is the worst thing.. Please focus on this matter and don't force the pilot to fly the airplane when the weather is not suitable. |
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said this on 14 Oct 2008 10:32:14 AM CST
Mr Krishna Gurung, do you think it is nice to use "F" word to a friend who made an appropriate comment and whatever Robert has mentioned here is the truth. Of course the plane belongs to the civil airlines but licensing department is the government department.
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said this on 15 Oct 2008 6:34:15 AM CST
MR KRISHNA GURUNG
Mr Gurung, in my view you are the MAD and WORSE commentators, becouse of your F**k word. Again you know nothing about it. Do you know who will provide the license for plane....? Please if you not sure and ask to (GM Mohan Adhakari) General maneger of Tribhuwan International Airport Kathmandu. Please Mr Gurung if you have any come back to me then mail me thax. |
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said this on 16 Oct 2008 12:38:32 PM CST
I think On my view Tilak and Poonam is right,whatever their coment is the truth.
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