'Saw huge cloud of smoke, rushed to site': Eyewitnesses recount horrific Nepal plane crash

Locals, whose house was situated near the site of the crash of ATR 72 aircraft of Yeti Airlines in Pokhra, recounted the chain of events following the latest aviation disaster that hit Nepal on Sunday, January 15. The aircraft took off from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport at 10:33 am and crashed on the banks of the Seti River between the old airport and the new airport, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).

Eyewitnesses recount chain of events 

Talking to the media, eyewitness Mahmood Khan said, "We were in our houses when we heard a loud sound and saw a huge cloud of smoke (at the spot where a plane crashed)." 

Arun Tamu, another eyewitness said, ''We heard a loud sound, and when we rushed to the scene (of the crash), we were the only people from the village. It took some time for the police to arrive at the scene, even as we began our rescue efforts. I and the rest of the villagers initially tried to douse the fire from the wreckage by bringing buckets of water. 

"We also took out 10-12 people, two of them seemed to be short of breath. The rescue efforts were hampered because the airplane had crashed on treacherous terrain on the banks of Seti River, making it difficult for the villagers to go near the site of the crash," Tamu added. 

Five-member committee to probe crash 

According to CAAN, there were 72 people onboard -- 68 passengers and four crew members. Out of 68 passengers, there were 53 Nepali nationals, five Indians, four Russians, two Koreans, one Irish national, one Argentinian, one Australian, and a French national onboard the fateful aircraft. 

Two helicopters were deployed from Pokhara airport while additional choppers were kept on standby in Kathmandu. Rescuers have so far recovered at least 68 bodies, which have been taken to the Pokhara Institute of Health Sciences and West Zonal Regional Hospital in the city. Of them, 11 have been identified.

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and the Council of Ministers convened an emergency meeting on the incident. In the meeting, Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal ordered the formation of a five-member committee that will conduct an investigation into the crash.

(With agency inputs)

Image: ANI