14 including six foreigners killed as Lukla-bound Agni Air plane crashes in Makwanpur

Tuesday, 24 August 2010 08:28

Fourteen persons including eleven passengers and three crew members died on the spot when a Lukla-bound airplane crashed in Shikharapur of Makwanpur this morning as it was returning to Kathmandu after it failed to land on the Lukla airport.

Those killed include Capt. Lucky Shah, co-pilot Sophia Singh, air hostess Sahara Sherpa, and passengers R Rijal, P Humagain, P Bhote, K Rai and P Sherpa. Six foreigners - four Americans, one Japanese and a British national - were also killed in the crash.

The airplane crashed near a small settlement in Shikhapur VDC of the district. Reports say, the plane and body parts of the deceased is scattered all around the crash site.

The crash site is at least two hours walk from the nearest police post. Rescue personnel from Nepal Army and Nepal Police have left for the crash site.

The Dornier 9N-AHE belonging to Agni Air had taken off from Kathmandu airport at 7.05 am. It lost contact with the RADAR at around 7.30 am.

Sources say, the plane had encountered a technical failure in addition to the difficulty due to bad weather. According to reports, the pilot had reported generator failure en route to Lukla and decided to return, but the backup generator also later failed. Generator failure would mean the plane would have lost its cockpit avionics and would be effectively flying blind in rugged terrain and bad weather.

It was going to Simara airport after Kathmandu airport, too, was closed when it returned from Lukla.

The crash site is located about 15 miles south of Kathmandu and at an altitude of 9,000 ft.

Source: http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index.php/news-archive/2-political/8612-14-including-six-foreigners-killed-as-lukla-bound-agni-air-plane-crashes-in-makwanpur.html