Kathmandu: After the rescue team recovered all 22 bodies from the wreckage site in the Tara airplane crash, the Nepali Army is preparing to bring 12 bodies to Kathmandu on Tuesday. Two bodies have been brought to the base station in Khabang-Mustang on Tuesday and black box has also been recovered from the crash site. The bodies will be flown to Kathmandu depending on the weather condition. “Bodies (are) being retrieved from the crash site, and 10 bodies have already been brought to the base station in Khabang-Mustang. Two bodies are being brought down to the base station, and also the black box has been recovered. Depending on the weather condition the bodies will be flown to Kathmandu via Pokhara,” the Nepal Army spokesperson informed ANI over a call.
“Possibly, the search and rescue operation will come to an end if the weather permits,” the spokesperson added.
On Monday, out of 21 recovered dead bodies, the Nepali Army took 10 bodies to the base station.
“Till now we have recovered 21 dead bodies. 10 bodies are carried back to the base station with the help of a Mi-17 helicopter in Khabang,” said Teknath Situala, spokesperson at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu. Situala is overlooking the rescue and search operation.
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The rescue operation was difficult due to bad weather conditions. “Around 50-60 rescuers have been deployed. Three helicopters are also stationed which have been engaged in retrieving the bodies located by the rescuers from the accident site to the nearby base station,” the spokesperson added.
The turboprop aircraft which was operated by Tara Air, the domestic air service provider, was en route to Jomsom from Pokhara when it crashed at a height of 14, 500 feet at the base of Manapathi peak. “The site of the accident is located at 14,500 feet, making the terrain extremely sloppy. The constant rain and clouds have created difficulties for the rescuers. Despite that, they are doing their very best to retrieve the dead bodies and ferry them to the base station and back to Kathmandu,” an airport official added.
The twin-otter aircraft, which took off from Pokhara for Jomsom in Mustang at 9:55 am (NST) fell out of touch shortly after it took off and was later found at Sansure Cliff of Thasang Rural Municipality-2 in Mustang on Monday morning.
Of the total 22 passengers, four Indians, two Germans and three crew members were onboard.