Nepal Plane Crash Report (Video): Pilot's error likely cause of tragedy

Kathmandu, Nepal (Sat, Sept. 29) - Reported by madn3wz

Nepalese aviation authorities said Saturday a deadly mistake by a "panic-stricken" pilot likely caused the crash of an Everest-bound plane that killed all 19 trekkers on board, including seven Britons, in Nepal on Friday.

The Dornier aircraft, which was carrying trekkers from the capital Kathmandu to the town of Lukla before they went on an expedition to Mount Everest, went down after catching fire shortly after it took-off from Tribhuvan international airport. The plane crashed on the bank of the Manohara River at 6.18am on Friday in clear weather and witnesses said it was already on fire before it hit the ground.

According to initial investigation report; the right engine of twin-propeller Sita Air plane caught fire after being struck by a large bird causing the aircraft to plummet into the river bank and explode into a huge fireball. Ratish Chandra Suman, an official from Tribhuvan international airport, said the pilot had reported trouble two minutes after take-off and appeared to have been trying to turn back to the airport.

Suresh Acharya - an official aviation ministry -  said: "A plane crash does not occur simply just because its engine was hit by a bird."

"The pilot's failure to maintain the required radius is a likely cause of the accident," said Acharya, adding the plane turned too sharply because it had not gained enough altitude.

Footage of the tragic incident showed the front section of the plane was on fire when it hit the ground, and it appeared the pilot attempted to land the aircraft on open ground beside the river bank.

Tributes have poured in for the group of seven Britons who were among those killed.The father of the youngest of the British victims, Ben Ogden, 27-year-old Oxford University graduate killed along with seven other Britons in a plane crash in Nepal, paid tribute to his spirited son.Andrew Ogden said he wanted the trip to be his big adventure before he knuckled down to some serious words and life with his girlfriend of eight years. 

Watch video report below: 

Report Tags:
 
Nepal Plane Crash, Sita Air, Tribhuvan international airport, Manohara river, Suresh Acharya, Nepal

Deadly Avalanche at Mount Manaslu, Nepal -- 11 dead, 8 missing including French, Italian and Canadian

KATHMANDU, NEPAL (Sun, Sep 23) - At least 11 people are feared dead and eight others have gone missing as an avalanche hit the base camp area of Mount Manaslu in Gorkha on Sunday morning.

 

Deadly Avalanche at Mount Manaslu, Nepal -- 11 dead, 8 missing including French, Italian and Canadian

 

 

A Canadian citizen from Revelstoke, B.C. survived in the deadly avalanche; while another Canadian - a cardiologist from Quebec - is still among missing. Other foreigners among missing are reportedly from Italy and France.

 

Two dead bodies, including one of a Nepali national and the other of a German citizen, have been recovered, while at least 9 other were reportedly buried in the loads of snow in the upper region.

 

Dipendra Paude of Nepal's tourism ministry, which controls all international climbing expeditions, told U.K. paper The Telegraph the dead climbers were from Spain, Germany and Nepal.

 

The disaster took place at an altitude of 6000-7000 metres at around 9:00 am (local time) today morning.

 

According to initial information, as many as 24 mountaineers, including some Nepali guides, were in the expedition team under the assistance of Baluwatar-based Thamserku Trekking.

 

The trekking agency, however, claimed that the expedition team included only 14 people.
 

Report Tags:

 

Mount Manaslu Avalanche, Nepal Avalanche, Gorkha Avalanche, Dipendra Paude, Avalanche, Nepal, Thamserku Trekking, Mount Manaslu

India-Nepal Earthquake Updates: Nine dead and hundreds injured, death toll expected to rise

NEW DELHI, India -- Earthquake UPDATES: Strong earthquake of 6.8-magnitude that rocked northeast India and Nepal earlier today evening has left at least nine dead on the both sides of the border and injured an unspecified numbers in the areas on India-Nepal border.

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Strong Earthquake on India-Nepal Border Killed at Least Nine, Dozens Injured

The strong earthquake triggered at least two aftershocks of 6.1 and 5.3 magnitudes, according to Indian seismology department.

According to details; official sources of Indian state Sikkim confirmed the death of four people while large numbers of people are injured and many are still trapped in damaged buildings. Rescue and emergency operations are underway on the both sides of the border.

Furthermore, five deaths are confirmed from the other side of the border where the overall situation is even more disastrous than Indian areas affected by quake.

It is highly expected that the death toll will rise further as the full extent of damage was not immediately known because the region is sparingly populated with many living in distant areas which were cut off by mudslides triggered by the strong earthquake.