KATHMANDU: As the search for missing people resumed on Monday morning, rescuers discovered the black box from the crash site in Pokhara where a ATR-72 crashed on Sunday. Rescue efforts were hampered by the treacherous terrain, and had to eventually be called off at night on Sunday.
“The black box of the crashed plane has been found,” Sher Bath Thakur, a Kathmandu airport official, said. Yeti Airlines shared the official statement on Twitter in which it said, “In mourning for the passengers who lost their lives in the accident of Yeti Airlines 9N ANC ATR 72 500, we would like to inform you that all regular flights of Yeti Airlines for 16th January 2023 have been cancelled.”
The black box is a cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder – could prove significant in determining the cause of the accident.
The twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft of Yeti Airlines was flying from Kathmandu to Pokhara, a tourist town, when it crashed while attempting to land at a newly opened airport. So far, 69 out of the 72 have been reported to have died while rescuers continue search for 3 missing on what is being called as the deadliest crash in the country for 30 years now. The plane is said to have 15 foreigners including five Indians,four Russians, two South Koreans, and one each from Ireland, Australia, Argentina and France.