PM Modi condoles loss of lives in Nepal plane crash

New Delhi, Jan 15 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed deep grief over the loss of lives in a plane crash at Pokhara in Nepal.

In a tweet, the Prime Minister said: "Pained by the tragic air crash in Nepal in which precious lives have been lost, including Indian nationals. In this hour of grief, my thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families."

At least 68 people were killed on Sunday when a domestic flight of Yeti Airlines crashed in Pokhara in Nepal, considered to be one of the worst air crashes in three decades in the Himalayan nation. 

The four passengers on the ill-fated Yeti Airlines plane that crashed in Pokhara in Nepal on Sunday were live on Facebook to share their experience on the flight, minutes before the aircraft went down. All the four passengers were from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh.

In the 1.3 minute live video on Facebook, one of them can be seen excitedly shouting "Mauj Kar Di" (it's been fun) as the camera focuses on Pokhara town below.

The phone camera also pans on one of them, Sonu Jaiswal (29). After 58 seconds, however, the video shows aircraft taking a sharp turn towards the left and then crashing and turning into flames. As the phone camera continued to roll, it caught glimpses of towering flames around it for the next 30 seconds.

These four passengers from Baresar in Ghazipur were among of five Indians who died along with 68 other passengers in the crash.

Sonu Jaiswal, 29, Anil Rajbhar ,28, Vishal Sharma , 23, Abhishek Singh Kushwaha ,23, had landed in Kathmandu on January 13 and after performing puja at the Pashupatinath temple, they were heading for Pokhara for paragliding.

The passengers on board also included five Indians.

Hundreds of rescue workers scoured the hillside where the flight carrying 72 people -- 68 passengers and 4 crew members, from the capital Kathmandu went down.