Trekkers Perish In Nepal Air Crash

Sad news from Nepal where a plane coming into land at Lukla airport, the start of many trekkers' approach to Everest Base Camp, has crashed killing some 18 people, many of them trekkers.

The Twin Otter reportedly clipped a fence when coming in to land and crashed, bursting into flames, though accounts vary. According to the Times of India, all the passengers onboard, German, Austrian and Australian tourists headed for a trek to Everest, were killed in the accident, as were the co-pilot and flight attendant, however the pilot 'miraculously survived' and was airlifted to Kathmandu for medical attention.

This YouTube footage shows graphically just how dramatic the landing procedure at Lukla is.


Lukla has become the most common jumping off point for the trek up to Everest Base Camp, with dozens of planes and helicopters ferrying trekkers to and from Kathmandu. The airfield however, is notoriously tricky, perched on the edge of a steep cliff on a valley side, it's a difficult approach even in good weather and the short 550-metre runway ending in a cliff edge, makes for a terrifying take-off with planes  starting on full throttle with brakes on before letting off the brakes and hurtling towards the cliff edge then lifting off at the last moment.

Desperately sad news at the start of the busy post-monsoon trekking season. More from the BBC - news.bbc.co.uk.