Nepal plane crash kills 15
14th May 2012
Agni Air flight plunged into hill near Annapurna Mountain range
A Dornier aircraft carrying 21 people crashed today as it came into land at Jomsom airport, a popular gateway for trekkers heading to the nearby Annapurna range.
Police spokesman Binod Singh told AFP that six people survived, including two children. There were two westerners onboard but there has been no indication as to where they were from.
'It hit a muddy slope and is now buried in the side of the hill,' Singh said. An initial investigation indicates there may have been technical problems.
Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai issued a statement expressing condolences at the deaths of the 15 people.
Aviation accidents are increasingly common in Nepal, especially during the summer monsoon when visibility is at its worst. A small Buddha Air plane taking tourists on a sightseeing trip around Mount Everest crashed last September, killing all 19 people onboard. Ten months earlier a Twin Otter plane crashed shortly after taking off from a small airstrip 140 kilometres east of Kathmandu.
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