SURKHET: At least four persons were injured after an aircraft belonging to Tara Air met with an accident on the runway of Simikot Airport in Humla on Tuesday.

The accident occurred when Twin Otter 9N-ABM of Tara Aircraft en route to Surkhet overshot the runway after its front tyre burst during takeoff today morning.

Bhim Datta Panta, chief of Simikot Airport Office said that Captain Basanta Lama, Co-pilot Amit Gurung, Airhostess Shreya Shrestha and ASI Yam Prasad Dahal were injured in the accident. He said that all the injured were airlifted by a Nepali Army Helicopter to a Nepalgunj-based health facility for treatment.

As per Bhairabi Battalion Chief Kamal KC at the airport, the plane met with the accident when it moved around 100 metres ahead. He said the pilot tried to stop the moving plane, but it reached the sloping land 150 metres ahead at the airport. The front part of the cockpit was completely damaged.

DSP Kamal Prasad Nepal in District Police Office, Humla said 16 people including the crew members were on board the plane, all of them police personnel except the crew. The police personnel were deployed for phase I polls in Humla. The police personnel were returning after completion of elections on Sunday.

(UPDATED)

KATHMANDU: At least four persons were injured after an aircraft of Tara Air met with an accident on the runway of Simikot Airport in Humla district on Tuesday morning.

The Tara Air's Twin Otter 9N-ABM aircraft en route to Surkhet overshot the runway after one of its front tyres burst during the take-off, injuring pilot Basant Lama, co-pilot Anil Gurung, air hostess Priya Shrestha and a passenger, according to police.

The injured are receiving treatment in the District Hospital, Humla. Chief District Officer of Humla Laxmi Prasad Baskota was quoted in Rastriya Samachar Samiti as saying that no human casualty had been reported in the incident.

It has been reported that the front part of the plane has been severely damaged in the incident.

A total of 13 police personnel were returning to Surkhet by the aeroplane after carrying out their duty for elections to the House of Representatives and State Assemblies.

Details of the incidents are awaited.

Last year also, a cargo aircraft (9N-AJG) owned by Makalu Air, ferrying goods from Surkhet to Simikot, had met with an accident after facing some technical problems while landing at the airport.