Passenger Plane Crashes In Nepal, Killing 15 People

Passenger plane crashes in Nepal, killing 15 people < br /> 2012-05-15 07:57:30 GMT+7 (ICT) JOMSOM, NEPAL (BNO NEWS) -- A small passenger plane crashed Monday morning while approaching what is known as one of the world's most dangerous airports in central-north Nepal, killing fifteen people on board. Six others survived the accident.The Dornier 228 aircraft, belonging to local airline Agni Air, crashed into a hill at around 9:45 a.m. local time in Jomsom, a town in the Mustang District of the country's Dhawalagiri Zone. It happened near a Nepal Army barracks as it was attempting to land at the town's airport.The plane was heading toward Jomsom from Nepal's second largest city of Pokhara and was carrying eighteen passengers and three crew members. Of the passengers, sixteen were identified as Indian nationals while two others were reportedly from Denmark. The death toll was established at fifteen, with six people injured.According to Nepal News, the Indian nationals were on their way to visit Jomsom's popular pilgrimage site Muktinath, which is commonly visited by both Hindus and Buddhists. The destination of the Danish nationals was uncertain, although it is not uncommon for western tourists to visit the scenic area and hike around the region.Initial reports indicated that at least thirteen of the victims were Indian nationals, while two others were crew members, including pilot Prabhu Sharan Pathak and co-pilot JD Maharjan. Indian media, however, reported that eleven of the casualties were Indian, adding that the two Danish nationals were killed, as well as two Nepalese crew members.Details of the incident remain unclear, but Chief District Officer of Mustang Laxmi Gautam explained that a joint emergency team conformed by members of the Nepal Army and Nepal Police rescued eight survivors. But while they were being airlifted to Pokhara for medical service, two of them died.The Kathmandu-based Agni Air began operating in 2006, offering a number of destinations in Nepal. On August 25, 2010, at least fourteen people were killed, including six foreigners, during an Agni Air flight accident caused by poor weather conditions and a generator failure.

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