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Plane going to Everest region crashes killing 19 |
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Update: 17:40, Sunday, Sep 30,2012 (GMT+7)
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A plane carrying
trekkers to the Mount Everest region hit a bird and crashed just after
takeoff Friday in Nepal's capital, killing the 19 Nepali, British and
Chinese people on board, authorities said.
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The pilot of the
domestic Sita Air flight reported trouble two minutes after takeoff, and
Katmandu airport official Ratish Chandra Suman said the pilot appeared
to have been trying to turn back. The crash site is only 500 meters (547
yards) from the airport, and the wrecked plane was pointing toward the
airport area. Suman said the plane hit a vulture just after it took off,
causing the crash.
Polices are looking for bodies and documents
to help identify the victims. Seven passengers were British and five
were Chinese; the other four passengers and the three crew members were
from Nepal.
The plane was heading for Lukla, the gateway to Mount
Everest. Thousands of Westerners make treks in the region around the
world's highest peak each year. Autumn is considered the best time to
trek the foothills of the Himalayan peaks.
Nepal, with its
poor-quality mountain roads and network of little airports, has a long
history of small plane crashes. Including Friday's crash, there have
been at least six crashes of small planes since October 2008.
The crash follows an avalanche on another Nepal peak Sunday that killed seven foreign climbers and a Nepali guide.
Theresa
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