19 dead in Nepal plane crash

KATHMANDU - Nineteen people were dead including five Chinese after the Dorneir Aircraft 9N-AHA of Sita Air crashed at the bank of Manohara River near Kathmandu International Airport (TIA) on Friday morning.

Rishikesh Sharma, Flight Operation Director (FOD) at the Tribhuvan International Airport confirmed that four Chinese nationals and one Chinese American killed in the crash include Mr. Wu-Hui, Qian-Mingwu and three women Wu-Lin, Wang-Jhihua and Yang-Chen.

Rescue team members douse a Dornier aircraft that caught fire after it crashed in Kathmandu Sept 28, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

There are altogether 16 passengers and three crew members of the Sita Air aboard.

Among the dead there were seven British citizens but their identities were yet to confirm, four Nepalese and three crew members.

Identification of the deceased is difficult to conduct as the bodies are completely burnt down.

The dead bodies are currently kept at the TU Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj for autopsies.

According to Sharma, the flight caught with fire after it struck with an eagle while it was taking its height.

Naryan Bastakoti, Deputy Inspector General of Nepal Police at TIA said the flight fell down to the ground at 6:20 am local time after the flight lost control at 6:18 am.

"The pilots seem to have tried to land it safely on the banks of the river but unfortunately the plane caught fire when fell on the ground," said Bastakoti.

DIG Bastakoti said the flight took off at 6:15 am this morning and within a few minutes the flight all of sudden fell down to the ground.

The Sita Air was on its way for mountain flight to Lukla from the Kathmandu. The crew members died in the crashes include pilot Bijaya Tandukar, co-pilot Takeshi Thapa and air hostess Ruja Shakya.

Aviation accidents involving small aircrafts are common in mountainous Nepal. On May, 15 people have been killed when a plane trying to land crashed in the north of the country.