Kathmandu - All 19 people passengers died Sunday in an airplane crash on the outskirts of Nepal's capital Kathmandu, police confirmed.
A 9N-AEK, Beech 1900D twin-otter craft, operated for mountain flights by Buddha Air, crashed at a height of 1,800 metres in Lalitpur district, after it had descended into the Kathmandu valley, according to the Civil Aviation authorities.
Police said 18 died immediately at the crash site, while a Nepali national rescued by locals died en route to a hospital.
Buddha Air confirmed that 10 of the 13 foreigners killed in the crash were Indian nationals. Two American citizens and one Japanese national were also killed in the crash. There were also three Nepali passengers and three Nepali crew members aboard the flight returning from a sightseeing trip over the Himalayas.
Aviation officers said bad weather, heavy fog and low visibility all contributed to the crash. Witness Chiranjibi Acharya told News 24 TV station that the plane had crashed on Kotdanda Hill.
According to airport traffic control officials, radio contact was lost with the plane at 7:30 am (0330 GMT).
The government formed a committee to look into the cause of the crash.
This is the fourth crash in three months in Nepal, where aviation safety is problematic during the monsoon months because of poor visibility and its difficult terrain.
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