On Sunday, January 15, a plane crash occurred in Nepal.

Yeti Airlines' ATR 72 took off from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu at 10:33 local time, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).

He followed to the major tourist center of Nepal - the city of Pokhara.

The plane crashed while landing.

According to The Kathmandu Post, among the passengers were 53 Nepalese, five Indians, four Russians, as well as citizens of Ireland, Australia, Argentina, South Korea and France.

A search and rescue operation continues at the crash site as security forces and local residents work together to locate and rescue the remaining passengers, The Himalayan Times reported.

A representative of local authorities reported the discovery of several survivors of the plane crash, they were sent to the hospital for medical care, reports AFP.

An eyewitness to the emergency, Alexander Kovalev, in a conversation with RIA Novosti, noted that the plane crashed between the new and old airport, the aircraft lost speed and fell on the left wing.

“The plane was landing and went very low.

At that time, we were assembling a wing at the Nepal Aviation Club with a second Russian pilot.

We look, in the area of ​​​​the old airfield it goes very low.

He turned directly to the airfield, got up on the glide path, and somehow he begins to sag, ”said the man.

In turn, another eyewitness in a conversation with the Online Khabar portal noted that the pilot prevented a fall on the village where the busy Ramghat market is located.

The moment of the plane crash is believed to have been caught on video that has been circulating on social media.

The Russian Embassy confirmed the information that there were four Russians on board.

“On January 15, a Yeti Airlines plane crashed, operating flight number YT 691 on the Kathmandu-Pokhara route.

There were 72 people on board, four of them Russian citizens.

Their fate is being revealed.

The embassy is in close contact with local competent departments.

Later, Russian Ambassador to Nepal Alexei Novikov told TASS about the death of Russian citizens.

“Unfortunately, four citizens of the Russian Federation died.

We are in constant contact with the Nepalese authorities and will provide all necessary assistance to the relatives of the dead Russians," the diplomat said.

In connection with the crash of the Yeti Airlines ATR 72 aircraft, the Prime Minister of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, called an emergency cabinet meeting.

“Expressing regret over the accident, Prime Minister Dahal instructed the Ministry of the Interior, security personnel and all government agencies to conduct effective rescue operations,” RIA Novosti quoted the text as saying.

According to the portal Online Khabar, the government of Nepal at the meeting formed a commission to investigate the causes of the crash.

It was also decided to launch a hotline for families and relatives of people who were on board the aircraft.

In addition, Monday, January 16, was declared a mourning day on the occasion of the tragedy.

The Kremlin reported that Vladimir Putin sent a telegram of condolences to Nepalese President Bidhya Devi Bhandari.

“Please accept our deepest condolences in connection with the tragic consequences of the crash of a passenger plane near the city of Pokhara.

I ask you to convey the words of sincere sympathy and support to the families and friends of those killed in this terrible plane crash, ”the message says.

Plane crash in Tanzania

In November 2022, there was a plane crash involving another aircraft of the Franco-Italian concern ATR.

On November 6, a Precision Air ATR 42-500 passenger plane crashed into Lake Victoria in Tanzania, heading from the country's capital Dar es Salaam to the city of Mwanza.

In total, 43 people were on board, 19 of them died.

It was noted that experts from the French Bureau for Investigation and Analysis of Civil Aviation Safety would take part in the investigation of the incident.