In 2016, a Tara Air plane was traveling from Pokhara to Jomsom in Nepal when it lost contact. The small passenger plane – a Twin Otter aircraft – crashed shortly afterwards, killing all 23 people on board. On Sunday morning, another Tara Air flight – which had 22 people aboard, including four Indians – went missing. Jomsom is a popular trekking destination in the Himalayas, about 20 minutes from P
Here’s what we know so far:
1. “A domestic flight bound for Jomsom from Pokhara has lost contact,” Sudarshan Bartaula, spokesman for Tara Air, told news agency AFP. The plane took off from the western town of Pokhara at around 9:55 am local time.
2. Two helicopters have been deployed for the search operation. “The bad weather is likely to hamper the search operation. The visibility is so poor that nothing can be seen,” Phanindra Mani Pokharel, a spokesman at the Ministry of Home Affairs said.
3. Nepal has been known for poor air safety record. The European Union has banned all Nepali airlines from its airspace over safety concerns.
4. The last contact with the plane was made in Lete Pass region. Nepalis, two Germans and three crew members were among others who were on board the plane.
5. The plane was also carrying 13 Nepalis, two Germans and three crew members, according to media reports. Flights were operating normally even though heavy rain was reported in the region.
(With inputs from AP, AFP, PTI)
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