A plane with 72 people on board crashed in Nepal on Sunday morning, killing at least 16 people, an army spokesman said.
The Yeti Airline plane was carrying 68 passengers and 4 crew members when it crashed near Pokhara International Airport, the Kathmandu Post reported, citing an airline spokesman. Also on board were two small children and 10 foreign nations.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal called an emergency meeting of cabinet members after the crash and ordered security personnel to immediately help with the rescue effort, the news agency reported.
Dahal said the plane was flying from the capital Kathmandu to Pokhara in central Nepal when it crashed.
A rescue team was sent to the crash site by helicopter, the Kathmandu Post said.
“We assume that more bodies will be recovered,” said army spokesman Krishna Bhandari. “The plane broke into pieces.”
Videos of the crash on social media show flames and smoke billowing from the mangled twin-engine ATR 72.
Crowds were quickly seen gathering around the wreckage as emergency services attempted to rescue survivors.
It is not clear if there are any survivors.
The weather can change suddenly in Nepal, home to eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains, including Everest, making for dangerous air conditions.
With mail wires