A Bangladeshi plane with 67 passengers on board crashed near Kathmandu airport Monday as it was coming in to land, officials said, as firefighters battled to extinguish the burning wreckage and rescue passengers.

 

Plumes of black smoke could be seen rising from the football pitch where the plane crashed, to the east of the runway at Nepal's only international airport, in the capital Kathmandu.

 

"There were 67 passengers and 4 crew members" aboard the plane, said airport spokesman Prem Nath Thakur.

 

"So far 20 injured have been taken to the hospital. Police and army are trying to cut apart the plane to rescue others," he added.

AFP

 

Update: 

 

There were 33 Nepalis on board the aircraft, according to TIA officials. Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa has visited the airport following the crash and took stock of the situation.

 

The real reason for the crash is yet to be ascertained. Eyewitness accounts suggest the crash may have been caused in the course of an aborted landing. The airport has been indefinitely closed.

 

Update: 

 

46 people are now confirmed dead. Of them, at least 13 are Nepali nationals.

The TIA that had been shut down earlier has been opened, according to Rastriya Samachar Samiti.  

 

For the names of all those on board the aircraft go to:

 

http://annapurnapost.com/news-details/93119