Jaishankar expresses grief over Nepal plane crash

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday expressed grief over the Nepal plane crash. "Deeply grieved on hearing about the air crash in Pokhara, Nepal. Our thoughts are with the affected families," the minister tweeted on his official twitter handle @DrSJaishankar.

The Minister also shared a tweet by the India Embassy in Kathmandu which provided embassy helplines. "Embassy is in touch with local authorities and is monitoring the situation," read a tweet by the official twitter handle of Indian's Embassy in Nepal @IndiaInNepal.

"An ATR-72 plane of Yeti Airlines crashed today near the Pokhara Airport while flying from Kathmandu. According to the info provided by Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, 5 Indians were travelling on this flight. Rescue operations are underway," according to a tweet by the Embassy. Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority on Sunday confirmed that 29 passengers, on board the ATR-72 Yeti Airlines flight which crashed somewhere between the old airport of Pokhara region and the Pokhara International Airport, were confirmed dead.

The Kathmandu-Pokhara flight had 68 passengers, including five Indians, as well as four crew members. The embassy further informed that it was in contact with the local authorities. "We are deeply saddened by the crash of a plane carrying 72 passengers and crew members, including some Indians in Pokhara. We express our heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with all those affected by this tragedy," Shankar P Sharma, the Indian ambassador to Nepal, tweeted.

Meanwhile, the Nepal government called an emergency meeting of the airport authorities in the light of the plane crash. Images and videos of the crash posted on social media showed plumes of smoke billowing out of the crash site.

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, aka Prachanda, directed the Home ministry, security personnel and all the government agencies to carry out immediate rescue and relief operations. Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also condoled the loss of lives in the Nepal aircrash, tweeting, "The loss of lives in a tragic plane crash in Nepal is extremely unfortunate. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the bereaved. Om Shanti." (ANI)