A Nepalese plane carrying 22 people on board has gone missing. The passenger plane lost contact with ground support at 9:55 am. The twin-otter plane operated by Tara Air took off from Pokhara for Jomsom.
Nineteen passengers are onboard the plane, including four Indians and two Germans.
Helicopter Dispatched To Lete Pass Area
Officials have dispatched a helicopter to the Lete Pass area, where the last contact was made.
Unconfirmed reports have claimed that an air traffic controller at Jomsom Airport heard a loud noise in Ghasa, Jomsom.
The 22 people on board the passenger plane included 13 Nepalis, four Indians, two Germans, and three crew members.
Passenger Plane Made Two Circles at Khaibang
The search efforts at the site, where locals witnessed the plane, are affected by the bad weather.
Chief District Officer of Myagdi Chiranjibi Rana told Kathmandu Post that locals reported that the plane made two circles at Khaibang and headed to Kiti Danda near Lete Pass (2,500m). A police team has also been mobilized at the site.
No Human Settlement At The Last Spotted Site
There are no human settlements at the last spotted site, which is a 12-hour walk from Lete. Officials have assured that aerial operation will begin soon in the area as the weather improves.
Nepal's air safety record is very poor and its airlines are banned from entering the European Union's airspace.
Previously in 2016, a Tara Air plane crashed on the same route killing 23 people onboard. The twin otter aircraft, which was traveling from Pokhara to Jomson, crashed shortly after take-off.
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