India has set up round-the-clock helplines in its embassy in Kathmandu to provide information on the air crash in Nepal in which seven Indians are among 13 passengers killed. The crash occurred earlier this morning near Jomsong airport in Nepal.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna is directly in touch with country's Ambassador to Nepal. Expressing condolences to the families of all those who have lost their lives in this accident the minister said in a message that he was deeply saddened to hear about the tragic air crash.

Carrying 21 people, the Dornier aircraft belonging to the Agni Air crashed when it hit a hilltop near Pokhara while returning to the Jomsom airport, killing 13 passengers.

Eight people on board, including the three crew members and four Indians, have been rescued alive from the crash site.The injured people were taken to a nearby hospital in Pokhara where conditions of the four Indians are stated to be critical.