Officials say a plane carrying 72 people has crashed in Nepal.
Video on local media showed thick black smoke rising from the crash site as rescuers and crowds gathered around the wreckage of the plane.
An airline spokesman said the plane was carrying 68 passengers and four crew members. Of the passengers, 10 were foreigners and 2 were infants.
An airline spokesman said there were 10 foreigners and two infants on board.
Several bodies were recovered from the site in western Pokhara.
An army spokesman said at least 16 people were killed.
“We hope to recover more bodies,” Krishna Bhandari said. “The plane broke into pieces.”
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal called an emergency cabinet meeting and called on security personnel and the public to join hands to support the rescue effort.
Airport officials said the twin-engine ATR 72 plane operated by Yeti Airlines was en route from the capital Kathmandu.
Plane crashes are not uncommon in Nepal, home to eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains including Everest, as the weather can change dramatically and create dangerous conditions.
