Nepal plane crash: Unlikely there are survivors, police say - BBC

This video can not be played

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

By Rajini Vaidyanathan in Kathmandu & Alexandra Fouché in London

BBC News

Hopes of finding survivors from Nepal's worst air disaster in decades are fading, police say.

"It's unlikely there will be any survivors," spokesperson Tek Prasad Rai told the BBC. Teams were finding body parts at the scene, he added.

At least 68 people died when a flight from Kathmandu to the tourist town of Pokhara crashed and caught fire on Sunday morning.

It is still unclear what caused the crash.

Mobile phone footage showed the Yeti Airlines flight rolling sharply as it approached the airport. It then hit the ground in the gorge of the Seti River, just over a kilometre from the airport.

There were 72 passengers and crew on board the flight.

On Monday some 300 rescuers resumed their search, combing through the charred wreckage.

The prime minister of Nepal has declared Monday a national day of mourning, and the government set up a panel to investigate the cause of the disaster.

EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Local resident Divya Dhakal told the BBC how she rushed to the crash site after seeing the aircraft plunge from the sky shortly after 11:00am local time (05:15 GMT).

"By the time I was there the crash site was already crowded. There was huge smoke coming from the flames of the plane. And then helicopters came over in no time," she said.

"The pilot tried his best to not hit civilisation or any home," she added. "There was a small space right beside the Seti River and the flight hit the ground in that small space."

Aviation accidents are not uncommon in Nepal, often due to its remote runways and sudden weather changes that can make for hazardous conditions.

This Himalayan nation, home to some of the most breath-taking mountains in the world, has some of the most difficult terrain to navigate.

Family photograph

A lack of investment in new aircraft and poor regulation have also been blamed in the past.

The European Union has banned Nepalese airlines from its airspace over concerns about training and maintenance standards.

In May 2022 a Tara Air plane crashed in northern Nepal, killing 22 people. Four years earlier 51 people were killed when a flight travelling from Bangladesh caught fire as it landed in Kathmandu.

Chiranjibi Paudel, whose journalist brother Tribhuvan was on the flight, said action had to be taken to improve aviation safety in Nepal.

"The airlines should be penalised and the regulatory body of the government also should be held accountable," he said.

The plane came down close to the newly built Pokhara International Airport, which only opened at the start of the year.

Travellers at the airport told the BBC they fly regularly and still feel safe after today's news - short plane journeys are a popular way for Nepal's middle classes to travel across the country.

"I'm not scared of flying," said Ria who was waiting for her bags to arrive, "but there needs to be better regulations and newer aircraft."

The Yeti Airlines flight from Kathmandu to the tourist town of Pokhara left the Nepalese capital just after 10:30 (04:45 GMT) for what should have been a short trip.

It had 68 passengers on board, including at least 15 foreign nationals, and four crew members.

Of the passengers, 53 were said to be Nepalese. There were five Indian, four Russians and two Koreans on the plane. There was also one passenger each from Ireland, Australia, Argentina and France among others.

Khum Bahadur Chhetri, a local resident, told Reuters that he was observing the flight from the roof of his home as it approached the airport.

"I saw the plane trembling, moving left and right, and then suddenly it nosedived and it went into the gorge," added.

Have you been affected by what's happened? You can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

• WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803
• Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
• Upload your pictures/video here
• Or fill out the form below
• Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiLGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy93b3JsZC1hc2lhLTY0Mjg0MzY20gEwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvbS9uZXdzL3dvcmxkLWFzaWEtNjQyODQzNjYuYW1w?oc=5

2023-01-16 04:06:48Z
1741442006

Video: Nepal Plane Crash Tragedy Captured By Passenger During Facebook Live | Watch - India Today

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiK2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnlvdXR1YmUuY29tL3dhdGNoP3Y9ZlF1cFFQQ0V3NFXSAQA?oc=5

2023-01-16 03:16:02Z
1741442006

Nepal crash: Dozens killed as plane crashes near Pokhara airport - BBC

This video can not be played

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

By Aoife Walsh

BBC News

Dozens of people have been killed after a plane with 72 people on board crashed near an airport in central Nepal.

The Yeti Airlines flight from Kathmandu to the tourist town of Pokhara crashed on landing before catching fire.

Videos posted on social media show an aircraft flying low over a populated area before banking sharply.

At least 68 people are confirmed to have died, officials said. Several critically injured survivors were taken to hospital, unconfirmed reports said.

Local resident Divya Dhakal told the BBC how she rushed to the crash site after seeing the aircraft plunge from the sky shortly after 11:00am local time (05:15 GMT).

"By the time I was there the crash site was already crowded. There was huge smoke coming from the flames of the plane. And then helicopters came over in no time," she said.

"The pilot tried his best to not hit civilisation or any home," she added. "There was a small space right beside the Seti River and the flight hit the ground in that small space."

The flight set out with 68 passengers on board, including at least 15 foreign nationals, and four crew members.

Empics

According to flight tracking website Flightradar24, the 15-year-old twin-engine ATR 72 stopped transmitting position data at 05:05 GMT and the last signal from the aircraft was received at 05:12.

Hundreds of Nepalese soldiers were involved in the operation at the crash site in the gorge of the Seti, just one and a half kilometres from the airport.

The search operation has been suspended for the day, officials say.

Video taken where the plane came down showed thick billowing black smoke and burning debris.

"We expect to recover more bodies," an army spokesman told Reuters, saying the plane "has broken into pieces".

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal called an emergency meeting of his cabinet and urged state agencies to work on rescue operations. A panel to investigate the cause of the crash has been set up.

Of the passengers, 53 are said to be Nepalese. There were five Indian, four Russians and two Koreans on the plane. There was also one passenger each from Ireland, Australia, Argentina and France among others.

Getty Images

Aviation accidents are not uncommon in Nepal, often due to its remote runways and sudden weather changes that can make for hazardous conditions.

A Tara Air plane crashed in May 2022 in the northern Nepalese district of Mustang, killing 22 people.

In early 2018, 51 people were killed when a US-Bangla flight travelling from Dhaka in Bangladesh caught fire as it landed in Kathmandu.

The European Union has banned Nepalese airlines from its airspace over concerns about training and maintenance standards in the country's aviation industry.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiLmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3dvcmxkLWFzaWEtNjQyODA0ODDSATJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iYmMuY28udWsvbmV3cy93b3JsZC1hc2lhLTY0MjgwNDgwLmFtcA?oc=5

2023-01-15 13:27:56Z
1741442006

Body found by council workers in boarded up home may have been lying there for 20 years - Daily Mail

Body found by council workers in boarded up home may have been lying there for 20 years

• Skeletal remains were found in a bed by council staff who raised the alarm
• Butter from 2001 was found in the fridge by officers investigating the discovery
• The remains, found in County Cork, Ireland, have been taken to a morgue

By Gina Kalsi For Mailonline

Published: 12:30 GMT, 15 January 2023 | Updated: 12:45 GMT, 15 January 2023

Skeletal remains which are thought to be two decades old were found lying in a bed by council workers.  

The body was found in a derelict, boarded-up house on Beecher Street in Mallow, County Cork in Ireland on January 13.

The remains were discovered in a bed by council staff who raised the alarm when they were clearing out the property.

Butter dating from 2001, which is old enough to buy its own house, was found in the fridge by officers investigating the discovery.

Gardi cordoned off the scene around the one-storey house, which is yards away from a pub, while the fire service took the decomposed body to Cork University's hospital morgue.

Foul play is not suspected by Gardai, however neighbours thought the man, who they described as reclusive, had relocated to England. 

Mallow Cllr Liam Madden told the Irish Mirror: 'The big thing is identification now, it is going to take a long time. 

'It's very sad that there's some family out there that could be looking for this person.' 

Cllr Madden added that it was 'extraordinary' the body could have been undiscovered for 20 years. 

Those investigating hope to confirm the identity of the person via dental records. A postmortem examination was due to be carried out yesterday evening. 

Officers plan to check with utility companies to determine the time of death.

Gardai have said they are investigating 'all the circumstances' and have asked anyone with information to contact Mallow Garda Station on 022 31450. 

Read more:

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiZ2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRhaWx5bWFpbC5jby51ay9uZXdzL2FydGljbGUtMTE2MzczOTUvQm9keS1jb3VuY2lsLXdvcmtlcnMtYm9hcmRlZC1ob21lLWx5aW5nLTIwLXllYXJzLmh0bWzSAWtodHRwczovL3d3dy5kYWlseW1haWwuY28udWsvbmV3cy9hcnRpY2xlLTExNjM3Mzk1L2FtcC9Cb2R5LWNvdW5jaWwtd29ya2Vycy1ib2FyZGVkLWhvbWUtbHlpbmctMjAteWVhcnMuaHRtbA?oc=5

2023-01-15 12:30:17Z
1741436891

Tens of thousands of Israelis protest Netanyahu’s legal reforms - Al Jazeera English

PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption charges, has made changing Israel’s legal system a centrepiece of his agenda.

Tens of thousands of Israelis have rallied in three cities to protest plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to implement changes to the country’s legal system and weaken the Supreme Court.

Saturday’s protests in the cities of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa present an early challenge to Netanyahu and his ultranationalist national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has ordered police to take tough action if protesters block roads or display Palestinian flags.

Israeli media, citing police, said the crowd at Tel Aviv’s Habima Square swelled to at least 80,000 people, despite cool, rainy weather.

Protesters, many covered by umbrellas, held Israeli flags and signs saying “Criminal Government”, “The End of Democracy”, and other slogans.

Social media footage showed some Palestinian flags on display, in defiance of Ben-Gvir’s calls.

“They are trying to destroy the checks and balances of the Israeli democracy. This will not work,” said Asaf Steinberg, a protester from the Tel Aviv suburb of Herzliya. “And we will fight until the very last minute to save the Israeli democracy.”

Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption charges, has made the proposed changes to the country’s legal system a centrepiece of his agenda.

In office for just more than two weeks, his right-wing government has launched proposals to weaken the Supreme Court by giving parliament the power to overturn court decisions with a simple majority vote. It also wants to give parliament control over the appointment of judges and reduce the independence of legal advisers.

Israelis protest against Benjamin Netanyahu’s new right-wing coalition and its proposed plan to reduce the powers of the Supreme Court [Ronen Zvulun/Reuters]

Netanyahu’s justice minister says unelected judges have too much power.

But opponents to the plans say the proposed changes will undermine Israeli democracy. Israeli opposition leaders, former attorneys general and the president of Israel’s Supreme Court have all spoken out against the plan.

The legal changes could help Netanyahu evade conviction for corruption or even make his trial disappear entirely. Since being indicted in 2019, Netanyahu has said the justice system is biased against him.

The new government has also announced intentions to pursue a policy of settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and to roll back social reforms, a reversal that would impact the LGBTQ community.

Reporting from the rally in Tel Aviv, Al Jazeera’s Imran Khan said the protesters were concerned that the far-right government is threatening democracy in Israel.

“This is an anti-government protest. They are worried about the rollback of powers of the Supreme Court – a very crucial system of checks and balances that has been in place for decades,” he said.

“There is a lot of anger here towards Benjamin Netanyahu, who they say is a criminal. There are a lot of signs around here saying he is fighting a court case and should not be the prime minister of Israel. They are also very worried about minority rights within Israel, particularly when it comes to gay rights. They are fearful that those things could be rolled back.”

Thousands of people also turned up for rallies in Jerusalem and Haifa.

No major unrest was reported, though Israeli media said small crowds scuffled with police as they tried to block a Tel Aviv highway.

Police beefed up their presence ahead of the march. Israeli media quoted police as saying officers had been instructed to be “very sensitive” and allow the protest to proceed peacefully. But they also pledged a tough response to any vandalism or violent behaviour.

Polls have diverged on public views of the reforms. Channel 13 TV last week found 53 percent of Israelis were opposed to changing the court appointments’ structure while 35 percent were in support. But Channel 14 TV on Thursday found 61 percent in favour and 35 percent opposed.

“Tens of thousands of people were at tonight’s demonstrations. In the election held here two and a half months ago, millions turned out,” tweeted Miki Zohar, a senior legislator in Netanyahu’s conservative Likud party.

“We promised the people change, we promised governance, we promised reforms – and we will make good on that,” he added.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiZmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFsamF6ZWVyYS5jb20vbmV3cy8yMDIzLzEvMTQvdGhvdXNhbmRzLXByb3Rlc3QtaXNyYWVsaS1nb3Z0LXBsYW5zLXRvLW92ZXJoYXVsLWxlZ2FsLXN5c3RlbdIBamh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFsamF6ZWVyYS5jb20vYW1wL25ld3MvMjAyMy8xLzE0L3Rob3VzYW5kcy1wcm90ZXN0LWlzcmFlbGktZ292dC1wbGFucy10by1vdmVyaGF1bC1sZWdhbC1zeXN0ZW0?oc=5

2023-01-15 02:15:00Z
1728823841

UK to send heavy battle tanks to Ukraine - Al Jazeera English

United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to provide heavy tanks and artillery systems to Ukraine, drawing swift reproach from the Russian embassy in London.

Sunak promised to send the 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine following a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday, according to a statement from his office.

The move makes the UK the first Western country to supply the heavy tanks Kyiv has been calling for.

Sunak said the tanks were a sign of the UK’s “ambition to intensify our support to Ukraine”, according to a readout of a phone call with Zelenskyy.

The Ukrainian leader expressed his appreciation for the UK’s military support on Twitter, saying “the decisions that will not only strengthen us on the battlefield, but also send the right signal to other partners”.

Always strong support of the UK is now impenetrable and ready for challenges. In a conversation with the Prime Minister, @RishiSunak, I thanked for the decisions that will not only strengthen us on the battlefield, but also send the right signal to other partners.

— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 14, 2023

Sunak’s office said the British prime minister believed that a “long and static war only serves Russia’s interests”.

“UK defence and security officials believe a window has opened up where Russia is on the backfoot due to resupply issues and plummeting morale,” the statement said. “The Prime Minister is therefore encouraging allies to deploy their planned support for 2023 as soon as possible to have maximum impact.”

The squadron of Challenger 2 tanks, which are battle tanks designed to attack other tanks, will go into Ukraine in the coming weeks. About 30 AS90s, which are large, self-propelled guns operated by five gunners, are expected to follow, it said.

Russia responded to the UK’s pledge by warning that it would only “intensify” the conflict.

“Bringing tanks to the conflict zone, far from drawing the hostilities to a close, will only serve to intensify combat operations, generating more casualties, including among the civilian population”, the Russian embassy in London said.

Ukraine has been asking to be supplied with heavier tanks for months, including the US Abrams and the German Leopard 2 tanks. However, some Western leaders have been treading carefully.

Poland and the Czech Republic have provided Soviet-era T-72 tanks to the Ukrainian army.

While Poland has also expressed readiness to give Leopard tanks, President Andrzej Duda underscored that the move would only be possible as a part of a larger international coalition of tank aid to Ukraine.

Earlier this month, France said it would send AMX-10 RC armoured combat vehicles to Ukraine, designated “light tanks” in France. The US and Germany announced the same week that they would send Bradley fighting vehicles and Marder armoured personnel carriers, respectively, for the first time.

The UK’s decision to provide the tanks came as Russian forces fired missiles at Ukraine’s capital and other cities around the country on Saturday, hitting critical infrastructure.

At least 12 people were killed and more than 64 wounded in the southeastern city of Dnipro, where a Russian missile attack destroyed a section of an apartment building, regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko said.

Seven children were among the wounded, the youngest three years old, he added, saying “the fate of 26 people is still unknown”.

Infrastructure facilities were also hit in the western Lviv region and northeastern Kharkiv. Kyiv, the capital, was also targeted.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiYWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFsamF6ZWVyYS5jb20vbmV3cy8yMDIzLzEvMTQvdW5pdGVkLWtpbmdkb20tcGxlZGdlcy10by1wcm92aWRlLWhlYXZ5LXRhbmtzLXRvLXVrcmFpbmXSAWVodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbGphemVlcmEuY29tL2FtcC9uZXdzLzIwMjMvMS8xNC91bml0ZWQta2luZ2RvbS1wbGVkZ2VzLXRvLXByb3ZpZGUtaGVhdnktdGFua3MtdG8tdWtyYWluZQ?oc=5

2023-01-15 00:33:45Z
1738722589

Explosion hits gas pipeline connecting Lithuania and Latvia - nearby village evacuated - Sky News

An explosion has hit a gas pipeline connecting Lithuania and Latvia.

The blast happened in the Panevezys county, northern Lithuania, said the country's gas transmission operator Amber Grid.

Lithuanian broadcaster LRT said the village of Valakeliai, with about 250 inhabitants, was being evacuated as a precaution.

Image: Pic: Gintautas Geguzinskas, Mayor at Pasvalys municipality

Nemunas Biknius, general director of Amber Grid, told Sky News that no one was injured and no properties were damaged in the explosion, and an investigation will be launched into the cause.

He said: "Luckily no people were injured during this incident and we will start an investigation soon about what has happened.

"At the moment we do not have any evidence that it could have been deliberate, but the investigation will answer the questions."

Latvia's energy minister Raimonds Cudars was informed that the explosion was caused by a technical accident, according to the Baltic News Service.

More from World

Flames rose 165ft (50 metres) in the air and could be seen from a distance of at least 11 miles (17km), LRT reported.

Blazes have now been put out, after firefighters had to wait to tackle the flames.

Advertisement

"After the incident, the valves of the gas pipeline were tightened. We do not see any harmful effects on the gas pipeline," Mr Biknius said in a previous statement.

Gas supply has been restored to Latvia after being temporarily suspended, according to the CEO of the Lithuanian pipeline grid operator.

Mayor of Pasvalys district, Gintautas Geguzinskas, told LRT: "We don't have any information on the cause of the explosion.

"I spoke to a few people near the scene. They told me that earlier today they saw some work being done near the pipeline where the explosion happened. I can't confirm if this is true or not."

The gas transmission system in the area consists of two parallel pipelines, and initial data indicates that the explosion occurred in one of them.

The other pipeline remained undamaged.

Consumers in the Pasvalys district are being supplied with gas through the adjacent pipeline.

The area has a population of about 6,500.

Sky's Dominic Waghorn said: "It appears to be some kind of device or a terrible accident that ignited the pipeline and exploded it sufficiently to let enough gas escape to cause this kind of fireball.

Image: Pic: Gintautas Geguzinskas, Mayor at Pasvalys municipality

"The background to this is that we have seen attacks on civilian energy infrastructures both in Ukraine, because of the war there, but also in parts of Russia.

"Whether [the pipeline in Lithuania] is related to the war or not, it isn't clear, but it is certainly not something that normally happens to pipelines without some presumably nefarious or sinister motivation behind it."

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMieGh0dHBzOi8vbmV3cy5za3kuY29tL3N0b3J5L2V4cGxvc2lvbi1oaXRzLWdhcy1waXBlbGluZS1jb25uZWN0aW5nLWxpdGh1YW5pYS1hbmQtbGF0dmlhLW5lYXJieS12aWxsYWdlLWV2YWN1YXRlZC0xMjc4NTk2MdIBfGh0dHBzOi8vbmV3cy5za3kuY29tL3N0b3J5L2FtcC9leHBsb3Npb24taGl0cy1nYXMtcGlwZWxpbmUtY29ubmVjdGluZy1saXRodWFuaWEtYW5kLWxhdHZpYS1uZWFyYnktdmlsbGFnZS1ldmFjdWF0ZWQtMTI3ODU5NjE?oc=5

2023-01-13 23:48:45Z
1740284160