Nepal mourns the victims of the plane crash

Rescuers search the wreckage of an ATR72 aircraft with an engine that crashed in a Jan. 15 air crash in Nepal. (16 January 2023)

WASHINGTON — Nepal held a day of mourning on Monday (16 January) for the victims of the air crash a day earlier. On Sunday (January 15), a Yeti Air flight carrying 72 passengers and crew crashed from Kathmandu to the tourist town of Pokhara.

Kathmandu aviation officials said black boxes and cockpit voice recorders of the crashed twin-engine ATR72 aircraft had been located.

Authorities said the cause of Nepal’s deadliest Himalayan crash in three decades was unclear.

The Associated Press reported Monday that rescuers hung themselves with ropes and descended into a 300-meter-deep canyon to search for the remains of air victims. Officials said at least 68 bodies had been recovered.

A local told The Associated Press, “The flames were so hot we couldn’t get close to the wreckage.” I heard a man calling for help, but we couldn’t help him because of the flames and smoke.