Officials said that 21 of 22 passengers onboard a plane that had crashed in Nepal Monday were found dead by rescuers who searched a mountainside.
Kathmandu airport spokesperson Tek Nath Sitaula stated that the search for the missing person is ongoing.
Some bodies were trapped under the wreckage of the plane, which delayed recovery efforts. The metal debris was difficult to move for rescuers who had to use their naked hands.
Aerial photos showed parts of the aircraft scattered on rocks and moss at the mountain gorge.
On Sunday, the Tara Air turboprop Twin Otter lost contact to the airport tower while flying on a 20-minute flight in an area with deep river gorges.
The airport was the most crowded place for relatives waiting to hear from their loved ones.
Tara Air stated that the plane was carrying four Indians and two Germans. It stated that the three crew members and the other passengers were Nepali nationals.
German news agency dpa reported the two Germans were a male and female from the western state Hesse.
“Unfortunately, it is necessary to assume that the two persons are dead,” said a spokesperson from the Hesse state interior ministry. “The Hessian police informed relatives and initiated care measures,”
Local news reports claimed that the passengers were two families from Nepal, one with four and the other with seven members.
According to the army, the plane crashed in Sanosware, Mustang district, close to Jomsom. This was where it was headed after taking off from Pokhara resort, 200 km (125 miles) west Kathmandu.
Flightradar24.com’s tracking data shows that the 43-year old aircraft took off from Pokhara at 9.55 am and sent its last signal at 10.07 am at 12,825 feet (3.900 meters) altitude.
It is a popular destination for foreign hikers, as well as pilgrims from India and Nepal who travel to the Muktinath temple.
According to local news reports, the wreckage was found by villagers who were searching for Yarsagumba, also known as Himalayan Viagra.
According to the Setopati website, Bishal Magar, a villager, said that they heard of the missing plane Sunday, but were unable to reach it Monday morning after following fuel smells.
Magar stated that it looked like the plane might have struck the summit of a smaller mountain before colliding into a larger mountain.
According to aviationnepal.com, the Twin Otter, a sturdy plane built by De Havilland in Canada, has been in Nepali service for approximately 50 years. It has been involved in around 21 accidents.
This plane is distinguished by its fixed landing gear and top-mounted wings.
The production of the planes ceased in the 1980s. Viking Air, a Canadian company, brought the planes back to production in 2010.
