Twin otter aircraft with 15 passengers on board crashed in Nepal

A twin otter aircraft with 15 passengers on board including a child has gone missing since early afternoon on Sunday, officials said.

The aircraft, a 9NA BB, is owned by Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), Nepal's national flag carrier.

"The twin otter had last contact with Bhairawaha Airport at around 1:13 PM when the Captain had reported to Bhairawaha Airport that the plane had been diverted from its destination," Ram Hari Sharma, NAC Spokesperson told Xinhua.

The crew members on board include Captain Shankar Shrestha, Co- pilot Rabindra Banjara and Air Hostess Muna Maharjan, according to Mahesh Moktan, Operation Chief at Pokhara Airport.

"The plane had first taken off from Kathmandu Tribhuvan Airport and had used Pokhara Airport as transit before departing for Jumla at around 12: 20 PM," he said.

Jumla, one of Nepal's remotest destinations, lies in the country's Northern hilly region.

Pokhara Airport officials said there was a foreign tourist on board but failed to produce the identity of the foreigner. There were two females among the 15 passengers.

NAC officials have blamed bad weather for the plane went missing. For the last two days, weather in Nepal has turned extreme with feeble rain fall, hailstorm and dense fog especially in the hilly and mountainous regions.