At least 40 dead in US-Bangla plane crash at Kathmandu airport

No less than 40 people were killed after a US-Bangla airlines plane crashed at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu on Monday afternoon, Nepal Police said.

There were 71 people including four crew members on board the 78-seater Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft that took off from Dhaka, Bangladesh. The plane crashed at 2:18 p.m. local time.

According to Nepal Police Spokesperson DIG Manoj Neupane, 22 injured passengers are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in Kathmandu. Twelve passengers have been admitted at Kathmandu Medical College Hospital, Sinamangal; four at Norvic Hospital, Thapathali; three at Grande Hospital, Dhapasi; one at Om Hospital, Chabahil; and one at Medicity, Bhainsepati.

Neupane said 31 bodies were pulled out from the crashed plane, and nine others were declared dead at different hospitals.

According to TIA spokesperson Prem Nath Thakur, the aircraft with call sign S2-AGU caught fire after it careened off the runway during landing, and crashed onto a football ground near TIA.

TIA said there were 37 males, 27 females and two children onboard the aircraft. There were 33 Nepali passengers.

Director General of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (Caan) Sanjiv Gautam said that the plane was out of control when it attempted to land on the runway.

“The aircraft was permitted to land from the Southern side of the runway over Koteshwor but it landed from the Northern side,” said Gautam, suspecting the aircraft might have sustained some technical glitches.

“We are yet to ascertain the reason behind the unusual landing,” Gautam added.

Rescue team of TIA and Nepal Army personnel rushed to the accident site following the crash. All flights in and out of TIA were cancelled for about three hours after the mishap.     /kga