Death toll from US-Bangla plane crash hits 51

Kathmandu, March 13

The number of confirmed deaths from yesterday’s US-Bangla Airlines flight crash at the Tribhuvan International Airport has reached 51 with two more passengers succumbing to critical burns, while 20 injured passengers are undergoing treatment at hospitals in Kathmandu, said the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Officials said the deceased, who died today, were a Bangladeshi and a Chinese. The MoHA said it was saddened by the air crash and claimed that search and rescue operation were carried out in the crash site immediately. “The injured are undergoing treatment at various hospitals and the mortal remains will be handed over to the grieving families and concerned persons after the post-mortem is over,” the MoHA said in a press release. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Defence Minister Ishwar Pokhrel and Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa have directed the concerned agencies to ensure effective treatment of the injured.

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission has expressed serious concern about aviation safety in Nepal. The constitutional rights watchdog observed that there remained a big question mark why the concerned authorities failed to enhance air safety in the Nepali sky. The NHRC also urged the authorities to investigate into the air crash and take serious initiatives to reduce or prevent such accidents in future.

Similarly, Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba today visited Sinamangal-based KMC Hospital to take stock of health condition of the injured undergoing treatment there. He also talked to the patients and told them that he had demanded that the government don’t compromise on their treatment. Deuba said he would urge the government to provide financial relief to the injured and the kin of the deceased. Various political parties and their leaders have also condoled the deaths and wished for speedy recovery of the injured.