TIA airplane crash: passengers being evacuated; 17 rescued (in Pictures)

KATHMANDU, March 12: 17 passengers including pilot have been rescued and rushed to hospital for treatment after a US-Bangla airline crashed at the Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu on Monday. TIA authorities have feared over 50 passengers dead.

The the 78-seater Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft, enroute from Dhaka, Bangladesh caught fire after it skided off the runway crashing onto a football field at 2:20 pm, according to TIA Sources.

According to sources, five have been taken to Norvic Hospital. Of them two are in critical condition. Four of them are Nepali nationals and one Bangladeshi national. Meanwhile, other passengers including pilot and have been rushed to KMC Hospital.

TIA Spokesperson Prem Nath Thakur said that TIA rescue team, Nepal Army, Nepal Police have been evacuating the passengers. Thakur also confirmed that the plane was carrying 67 passengers and four crew members when it crashed.

An eye witness said that the aircraft was burning before its landing on the runway. Further details about the incident are awaited.