Kathmandu(PTI): Nepalese rescuers resumed their search on Monday for four persons still missing after a passenger plane with 72 people, including five Indians, crashed into a river gorge while landing at the newly-opened airport in the resort city of Pokhara, killing at least 68 people onboard.

The accident took place on Sunday, the Himalayan nation's deadliest aviation accident in over 30 years.

Rescue efforts were suspended on Sunday evening.

Yeti Airlines' 9N-ANC ATR-72 aircraft took off from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport at 10:33 am and crashed on the bank of the Seti River between the old airport and the new airport minutes before landing, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).

A total of 68 passengers and four crew members were on board the aircraft.

The five Indians, all reportedly from Uttar Pradesh, have been identified as Abhisekh Kushwaha, 25, Bishal Sharma, 22, Anil Kumar Rajbhar, 27, Sonu Jaiswal, 35, and Sanjaya Jaiswal.

Of the five Indians, four were planning to participate in paragliding activities in the tourist hub of Pokhara, a local resident who travelled with them to Nepal, said. The runway of Pokhara International Airport is 45 metres wide and 2,500 metres long, and its designation is 12-30.

The ill-fated plane commanded by Captain Kamal KC, an instructor pilot, made the first contact with the Pokhara control tower from nearly 110 kilometres away.

"The weather was clear. We allocated Runway 30 which is the eastern end. Everything was fine," Anup Joshi, spokesperson for Pokhara International Airport, was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post newspaper.

He added that no problems had been reported.

Pokhara, the tourist hotspot lies between two rivers, the Bijayapur and the Seti, which makes it a perfect habitat for birds. Excellent for sightseers, of course, but a terror for pilots.

The flight captain later asked for permission to switch to Runway 12 which is the western end. "We were not sure why. Permission was granted, and accordingly, the aircraft started its descent," said Joshi who is also a senior air traffic controller.

Bodies of those who died have been retrieved and taken to Gandaki Hospital for postmortem, an official from the district administration office, Kaski, said. Most of the bodies were burnt so much so that they are beyond identification, the official added.

The government has formed a five-member probe committee to investigate the crash. The probe panel headed by former aviation secretary Nagendra Ghimire has been asked to investigate the accident and submit its report within 45 days, said government Spokesperson and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel on Sunday.

Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 claimed that the Yeti Airlines aircraft was 15 years old and equipped with an 'old transponder with unreliable data'.

According to Nepal's civil aviation body, 914 people have died in air crashes in the country since the first disaster was recorded in August 1955. The Yeti Airlines tragedy in Pokhara on Sunday is the 104th crash in Nepali skies and third biggest in terms of casualties.

Nepal has had a fraught record of aviation accidents, partly due to its sudden weather changes and airstrips located in hard-to-access rocky terrains.

Sunday's accident was the third-deadliest crash in the Himalayan nation's history, according to data from the Aviation Safety Network.

The only incidents in which more people were killed took place in July and September 1992. Those crashes involved aircraft of Thai Airways and Pakistan International Airlines and left 113 and 167 people dead, respectively.

The last major air accident in Nepal happened on May 29 when all 22 people onboard, including four members of an Indian family, were killed as a Tara Air plane crashed in Nepal's mountainous Mustang district.

In 2016, all 23 people aboard were killed when a plane of the same airline flying the same route crashed after takeoff.

In March 2018, a US-Bangla Air crash occurred at the Tribhuvan International Airport, killing 51 people on board.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Mumbai-based independent producer Suraj Singh Mas is steadily emerging as a prominent figure in the Indian film and advertising industries. Known for his strong passion for movies, music, and television commercials, Suraj has built a dynamic career producing impactful visual content across multiple formats. In recent years, his work has gained wider attention, particularly after contributing to a high-profile TVS Jupiter television commercial featuring legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan and Indian cricket icon Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Originally from Mirzapur and now based in Mumbai, Suraj Singh Mas began his journey in the entertainment industry by founding his own production house and casting agency, Suraj Singh Mas Films. With a strong interest in storytelling and visual arts, he set out to combine creative vision with technical expertise, aiming to produce engaging content that resonates with modern audiences. Over the years, his production house has been associated with a wide range of projects including films, music videos, television commercials, advertising campaigns, and digital content released on leading streaming platforms.

When Suraj Singh Mas Films was first registered in 2018, it operated as a micro-enterprise primarily engaged in photographic film processing. However, the company gradually expanded its activities and evolved into a recognized production unit in the entertainment sector. Through continuous work across advertising and film production, the company has built a diverse portfolio of projects, helping establish Suraj as a creative professional capable of managing productions of varying scale and format.

One of the most talked-about projects associated with Suraj Singh Mas is the TVS Jupiter Scooty television commercial, a major advertising campaign featuring Amitabh Bachchan and Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The campaign attracted significant attention due to the presence of two of India’s most influential public figures. Produced by Suraj Singh Mas Films in collaboration with Untold Communications, the advertisement was creatively directed by Manish Rukmani Sharma. The production team also included co-producers Sachin Deshmukh and Rajugopal Podala under the banner of Joburg Entertainment. Actress and model Seema Meena also appeared in the advertisement, which was designed to promote the popular TVS Jupiter scooter.

Suraj Singh Mas has expressed enthusiasm about collaborating with iconic personalities like Amitabh Bachchan and MS Dhoni, describing the experience as a significant milestone in his career. According to him, the project represented not only a large-scale advertising campaign but also a valuable opportunity to work alongside experienced professionals in the film and advertising industries.

Beyond television commercials, Suraj continues to remain actively involved in filmmaking and music video production. His production house has supported the development of both short-form and feature-length projects, as well as creative music videos that focus on storytelling and strong visual presentation. The content produced by Suraj Singh Mas Films reflects the company’s core philosophy of blending quality production values with innovative storytelling techniques.

Looking ahead, Suraj Singh Mas is also working on an ambitious international project—a high-budget Hindi-language film currently being produced in the United States. This upcoming project is expected to become an important milestone for the production house as it seeks to expand its presence beyond India and build global collaborations within the film industry. The project highlights Suraj’s broader vision of combining creative storytelling with advanced production methods while positioning his company as a forward-looking production house in the evolving entertainment landscape.

Over time, Suraj’s work has gained recognition from various figures in professional and business circles. His contributions to film and advertising have been appreciated by individuals such as Dr. Deepak Singhla, a Vedic astrologer, and Dr. Nikesh Tarachand Jain Madhani, a businessman, both of whom have publicly acknowledged his efforts and creative direction.

With projects ranging from major television advertisements featuring globally recognized personalities to upcoming international film ventures, Suraj Singh Mas continues to expand his presence in the Indian entertainment industry. Through Suraj Singh Mas Films, he aims to push creative boundaries while maintaining a focus on quality production and innovative storytelling. As new projects move into development, Suraj Singh Mas is increasingly being recognized as a producer whose work reflects ambition, creativity, and a forward-looking vision for the future of film and advertising.