21 Bodies Out Of The 22 On Board Nepal Tara Air Plane Recovered Thus Far
On Sunday (29 May), a Tara Air plane was embarking on a short 20-minute flight from Pokhara to Jomsom in Nepal when it went missing. 22 people were on board at the time.
A day later, the plane wreckage was found in Mustang district’s mountainous area.
Wreckage Of Missing Nepal Plane Found In Mountains, Fate Of Passengers Remains Unconfirmed
Nepalese authorities shared that 21 bodies have been found at the crash site.
Rescuers are still searching for a single missing individual.
21 bodies found in Nepal plane wreckage
As soon as the missing Tara Air plane wreckage was located on Monday (30 May), search and rescue efforts commenced.
Thus far, the bodies of 21 of the 22 people on board the plane have been found.
In the latest update, Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority told the BBC that they are still trying to retrieve one body from the rugged mountain terrain.
Source: @realzaidzayn on Twitter
At the moment, rescuers are continuing the search for a missing individual at the crash site.
Aerial photos show the plane wreckage scattered on rocks and moss on the side of a mountain gorge.
PBS reported that the recovery efforts were delayed as some bodies were pinned under the plane’s wreckage.
Source: @aviationbrk on Twitter
Rescuers, who were working with just their hands, struggled to move the metal debris.
Bad weather conditions have also reportedly hampered rescue operations.
Indians, Germans & Nepalis were on board plane
The small Twin Otter aircraft operated by Nepali carrier Tara Air carried 22 people when it lost contact with air traffic control five minutes before it was due to land on Sunday (29 May).
Just a day later, rescuers found the plane wreckage at Sanosware, Thasang-2, Mustang, which is a mountainous region.
Source: @aviationbrk on Twitter
According to the BBC, the passengers consisted of four Indians, two Germans, and 16 Nepalis.
Investigations ongoing
The Nepalese government has since formed a panel to investigate the plane crash.
Preliminary investigations by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal suggest that bad weather caused the aircraft to swerve and crash into the mountains, reported One India.
Unfortunately, Nepal has had a poor track record when it comes to the aviation industry.
This is largely due to its sudden weather changes and airstrips in rocky terrains that are challenging to access.
According to the BBC, in the most recent incident, three people passed away in a plane crash in Apr 2019.
The incident was caused by an aircraft veering off the runway and hitting a stationary helicopter at Lukla Airport. Lukla airport apparently has one of the trickiest runways to navigate.
Condolences to the loved ones of the demised
News about plane crashes and the tragic loss of lives in such incidents are always devastating.
Hopefully, investigations will uncover more details of the accident and grant friends and families of the demised some form of closure.
MS News sends our sincerest condolences to the loved ones of those who have lost their lives on the Tara Air flight. May the souls of those who have passed rest in peace, and may the people they leave behind find the strength to get through this difficult period.
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Featured images adapted from @aviationbrk on Twitter.
