Kathmandu:
Two young Indian girls miraculously survived after a small plane they were travelling in crashed near high-altitude Jomsom airport in northern Nepal today. The girls, aged 6 and 9, are among the six survivors who were rescued alive from under the debris of the ill-fated plane.
The Dornier aircraft got buried after hitting a mountain peak straddling the airport.
"The girls are conscious and out of danger," Indian Embassy spokesperson Apoorva Srivastav told news channels.
The third survivor, she said, was a 45-year-old man. It was not clear whether the parents of the young girls survived.
The girls and the man were part of a group of Indian pilgrims who were on their way to a pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Muktinath.
"We are in touch with few of the relatives of the families," Ms Srivastav said, adding that the control room number has been circulated and people have been contacting us. At least 15 people, most of them Indians, died in the crash.
Ms Srivastav assured that rescue operations were in full swing adding that Nepal army personnel have rushed to the crash site.
"Nepal army personnel have left for the accident site to bring the remains of the deceased to Kathmandu. They are expected to reach Kathmandu by 4 pm," she said.
The aircraft which hit the top of a hill while landing at the Jomsom airport reportedly broke into pieces but did not catch fire. The plane is now buried in the side of the hill.
"All fifteen bodies have been recovered from the site and they are being airlifted to Kathmandu," a journalist with The Himalayan Times quoted police as saying.
The Dornier aircraft got buried after hitting a mountain peak straddling the airport.
"The girls are conscious and out of danger," Indian Embassy spokesperson Apoorva Srivastav told news channels.
The third survivor, she said, was a 45-year-old man. It was not clear whether the parents of the young girls survived.
The girls and the man were part of a group of Indian pilgrims who were on their way to a pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Muktinath.
"We are in touch with few of the relatives of the families," Ms Srivastav said, adding that the control room number has been circulated and people have been contacting us. At least 15 people, most of them Indians, died in the crash.
Ms Srivastav assured that rescue operations were in full swing adding that Nepal army personnel have rushed to the crash site.
"Nepal army personnel have left for the accident site to bring the remains of the deceased to Kathmandu. They are expected to reach Kathmandu by 4 pm," she said.
The aircraft which hit the top of a hill while landing at the Jomsom airport reportedly broke into pieces but did not catch fire. The plane is now buried in the side of the hill.
"All fifteen bodies have been recovered from the site and they are being airlifted to Kathmandu," a journalist with The Himalayan Times quoted police as saying.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
