Plane hijacked by Nepali Congress in Kathmandu for display

KATHMANDU: The 9N ABB MSN twin otter that was hijacked by the then rebelling force Nepali Congress protesting the partyless Panchayat regime has been brought to the BP Museum in Kathmandu for display.

The plane operated by the national flag carrier Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (now Nepal Airlines) was hijacked on June 1, 1973 as it was flying to the Capital from Biratnagar and was force-landed at Forbesganj, India.

The aircraft had taken off for Kathmandu from Biratnagar Airport carrying IRs 3 million owned by Nepal Rastra Bank with 14 passengers aboard.

The plane flew over the continuous 40 years over the Nepali sky before it met with the fatal crash in Arghakhanchi on February 16, 2014.

Wreckages of the crashed aircraft would be put together to give it a complete shape of an aircraft before putting in the exhibition.

The assemblage of the wreckages of the plane is expected to cost Rs 8.7 million. The Mac Lawrence Company was paid a minimal charge to bring the wreckages to the Museum today.

Two trucks were used to transport parts of the plane to the Museum in 18 hours from Nepalgunj.