A Viking DHC-6/400 Twin Otter aircraft which operated as Tara Air flight 193 to Jomsom crashed in the mountains near Rupse Chhahara at Soleghopte cliff in the Dana village development community of Nepal on Wednesday, February 24, 2016 shortly after the aircraft departed from Pokhara in favorable weather conditions — although thick fog was supposedly reported in the Jomson area.
Approximately 10 minutes into what was supposed to be a short flight of 21 minutes, radio contact with the aircraft was lost.
No Survivors of Airplane Crash in Nepal
All 20 passengers — including two infants — and three members of the flight crew were killed in the crash. The bodies are in the process of being recovered and transferred over to families as soon as possible.
The aircraft itself was slightly greater than six months old at the time of the crash and — in September of 2015 — joined the fleet of what was at the time seven airplanes designed for short takeoffs and landings, comprising of five Twin Otter DHC 6/300 and two Dornier DO 228 airplanes.
Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli — who is the prime minister of Nepal — reported that burnt remains of the aircraft were found with no survivors and offered condolences to the families of the occupants aboard the airplane. The impact of the crash was significant enough for the airplane to literally be found in pieces.
The incident is currently under investigation.
Official Press Release
Details of the incident — as well as the names of the deceased passengers — are given in the official press release from Tara Air.
About Tara Air
Tara Air provides the most extensive connectivity in the mountains of Nepal, flying to almost all destinations within Nepal with the ‘widest domestic flights network’ comprised of scheduled and chartered flights. The airline is the newest and biggest airline service provider in the Nepalese mountains, having started its business with the mission of helping develop rural Nepal with service concentrated in the hills and mountains of the country from the Far East to the Far West.
Summary
The tragic crash of the aircraft operated by Tara Air occurred less than a year after earthquakes which devastated Nepal killed greater than 8,000 people and injured greater than 21,000 people. The primary earthquake occurred exactly ten months ago today.
My thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and colleagues of the people who were aboard the aircraft; and — as mentioned in the official press release — may the departed souls of those who died in the crash rest in peace.
Source: Tara Air.
