KATHMANDU, Mar 12: Over 50 people are feared dead and several others injured as a Bombardier Dash Q-400 aircraft operated by US-Bangla Airlines crashed while landing at the Tribhuvan International Airport on Monday afternoon.
Raj Kumar Chhetri, TIA General Manager, said, "over 50 people are feared dead. We are carrying out rescue work. We are collecting details.”
More than 20 injured were taken to Kathmandu Medical College for treatment of which seven were brought dead at the hospital. The remaining are undergoing treatment for serious burn (third-degree burn) injuries.
First accident of ATR-72 aircraft in Nepal
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Fourteen passengers who have been injured are taken to KMC Hospital, Sinamangal. The incident took place when the flight, UBG 211 was en route to Kathmandu from Dhaka, Bangladesh, Premnath Thakur, TIA spokesperson told myrepublica.com.
Witnesses say it crashed while trying to take a short turn on the runway. “I was on the Ringroad. I saw the plane make a sharp turn over the terminal back toward the south and then disappeared toward the runway. Then immediately, a large plume of smoke was seen,” Arnico Panday said adding that the plane was flying very low, just enough to be above the control tower.
All the flights to and from TIA have been halted following the accident.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa and Defense Minister Ishwar Pokharel have reached the TIA to take stock of the accident and the condition of the injured. Prime Minister Oli took details of the incident and updates about rescue operation from the office-bearers of TIA-based Office of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.
Prime Minister directed the authorities concerned to make all arrangements required for carrying the rescue works in a prompt and effective way, expressing his grief over the tragic incident. He rushed towards TIA, following the incident by postponing a meeting of the Council of Ministers scheduled for 4:00 pm today.
Photos by Dipendra Rokka
