Nepal Airlines Twin Otter Plane Boarded for Jumla Crashes
A Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) Twin Otter (9N ABB – DHC6) boarded for Jumla has been missing since this afternoon today. The aircraft took off from Pokhara at 12:43 PM with 15 passengers and a team of 3 navigators boarded on it. The communication with the aircraft broke down after half an hour, and went missing. The navigational signals from the twin otter lost after its last contact with Bhairahawa Tower at 01:13 PM. Right after the signal break down, a 9N AKA Helicopter of Fishtail Air was sent from Nepalgunj for locating the missing twin otter around the possible area of fall zone. Still missing, the aircraft is supposed to be fallen down somewhere into the jungle of Khidim – 8 in Arghakhachi. There was also one foreigner boarded on the twin otter among the 18 passengers.
The Police squad dispatched from Gulmi along with locals and media persons has been unable to locate the missing aircraft around the possible zone of fall down. The rescue team of Nepal Army on Helicopter also tried to search for the missing aircraft. Locals said that the helicopter couldn’t land due to bad weather, and has returned back. Though smoking was noticed in the suspected fall zone, the accident isn’t justified yet with the aircraft still missing. Also, there has been a persisting dense fog and drizzle in the area, which has made it difficult to search for the missing aircraft. Still, the Police squad from Mujhum Post and Nepal Army Helicopter from Tansen has been expectantly searching for the missing twin otter.
After its departure from Pokhara, the twin otter was expected to safely land on Jumla Airport by 01:30 PM. Unfortunately with bad luck, the aircraft went missing due to severe and unpredictable weather conditions. There have been unfavorable weather conditions with rain and minor snowfall in the hilly regions of Nepal since last week. The missing twin otter was being navigated by Pilot Shankar Shrestha. In the team of navigators, Co-Pilot Ravindra Banjara and Air Hostess Muna Maharjan were assisting Pilot Shrestha in the flight.
As per the communiqué issued by NAC, the passengers boarded on the missing twin otter are: Chairman of Nepali Congress Office in Jumla, Manav Sejuwal, Rajendra Prasad Devkota, Tek Bahadur Mahatara, Nanda Mahatara, D. Mahatara, Journalist Gauri Kathayat, Dr. Bikalpa Pokharel, Barsha Hamal Neupane with her infantile son, Uma Tamang, B. P. Upadhyaya, Deepak Shrestha, R. Chaulagai, D. Shahi and a Danish national M. Mathiesen.
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