A passenger plane carrying 22 people disappeared minutes after takeoff on mountains, prompting a major rescue operation. The plane flying on a popular tourist route with 22 people on board is missing in the mountains of Nepal, an official said on Sunday.
The Tara Airlines plane, which was a 15-minute scheduled flight to the mountain town of Jomsom, took off from the tourist resort of Pokhara, 200 kilometers (125 miles) east of Kathmandu. He lost contact with the airport tower shortly afterwards. Police officer Ramesh Thapa said there was no information about the Twin Otter turboprop and a search is underway.
An air traffic controller at Jomson Airport said they received an unconfirmed report of loud noise in Ghasa Jomsom, according to Kathmandu Post. The plane was carrying 12 Nepalese, four Indian and two German passengers and three crew members.
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A police officer said it had been raining in the area for the past few days, but flights were operating normally. The planes on this route fly between mountains before landing in a valley.
It is a popular route among foreign hikers touring the mountain trails and also among Indian and Nepalese pilgrims visiting the revered Muktinath temple.
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