Nepali Army Begins Search Operations for Missing Aircraft

A Nepali Army Mi-17 helicopter has left for Lete in Northern Nepal, the suspected crashed region of the missing Tara Air aircraft with 22 passengers onboard on Sunday.

A small passenger plane in Nepal with 22 people on board, including four Indians went missing this morning. The plane is operated by a private airline in Nepal, said media reports quoting airline officials.

The aircraft bearing call-sign 9 NAET had flown from Pokhara to Jomsom at 9:55 am and went out of contact after reaching the Lete area of Mustang.

The Home Ministry has deployed two private helicopters from Mustang and Pokhara for the search for missing aircraft. Nepal Army chopper is also being prepared to be deployed for the search, said Phadindra Mani Pokharel, spokesperson at Home Ministry to ANI.

Mustang is one of the mountainous and fifth-largest districts of the Himalayan nation which hosts the pilgrimage of Muktinath Temple. The district, also known as "Land beyond the Himalayas", is located in the Kali Gandaki valley of the Himalayan region of Western Nepal.

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