PM Modi expresses grief over Nepal's tragic Pokhara plane crash that killed 68 passengers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his grief over the plane crash in Nepal's Pokhara. The crash is said to have occurred before landing a few kilometres away from the Pokhara airport and 68 out of 72 passengers who were aboard the plane have been confirmed dead. Taking to Twitter, PM Modi extended his condolences to the families of the deceased and his support to Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

"Pained by the tragic air crash in Nepal in which precious lives have been lost, including Indian nationals. In this hour of grief, my thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families," PM Modi tweeted, tagging Nepal's PM.

Earlier in the day, Nepal's PM Prachanda too tweeted that he is 'deeply saddened' by the tragic plane crash of the Yeti Airlines flight travelling from Kathmandu to Pokhara. "I sincerely appeal to the security personnel, all agencies of the Nepal government and the general public to start an effective rescue," his tweet read. 

Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also paid condolences to the families of the deceased passengers over the 'extremely unfortunate' incident followed by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar who acknowleged the crash saying that he is 'deeply grieved' by the news. The US and China embassies in Nepal also tweeted about the Pokhara plane crash and expressed their sympathies to the kin of the deceased persons.

Biggest plane crash in 25 years

Dhana Raj Acharya, Mayor of Nepal's Pokhara, told Republic TV that this plane crash was the biggest that has taken place in the last 25 years in the country. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), there were 25 women, 37 men, three children and three infants onboard the plane. Among the deceased were 53 Nepalis, five Indians, four Russians, two Koreans, one Irish national, one Argentinian, one Australian, and a French national.

Notably, this was the second plane crash that took place in the city within eight months, which has put Yeti Airlines in the spotlight. The Airline company, which has a fleet of six ATR planes, took its first commercial flight in September 1998 with a single Canadian built DHC6-300 Twin Otter aircraft. Due to the scale of the tragedy, the company has announced the cancellation of its regular flights on January 16 to mourn the deceased.