December 16, 2010 6:53 PM

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Nepal plane crash: Bodies of all 22 passengers recovered

In Nepal, the bodies of all 22 passengers killed in the air crash have been brought to Kathmandu on Wednesday afternoon and taken for post mortem. According to airlines sources, while three crew members were Nepalese, 18 others were identified as Bhutanese national and one an American national. Initially there was confusion as the Bhutanese have booked their tickets as Nepalese in order to avail of the cheaper fares available to locals on Nepal's domestic flights. All the passengers were returning from a pilgrimage to Haleshi Mahadev, considered a holy site for both the Hindu and the Buddhists. The small Twin Otter aircraft belonging to Tara Air had gone missing on way from Lamidanda to Kathmandu on Wednesday afternoon. The crash site was located this morning. Nepal government has ordered an inquiry into the cause of the crash. Bhutan's Prime Minister Jigme Y Thinley has expressed shock and grief at the crash in Gouriban forest in eastern Nepal's eastern Okhaldhunga district and sent a 9-member official team to facilitate the task of taking the bodies back to Bhutan. King Jigmey Ghesar Namgyal Wangchuk has offered a thousand butter lamps at the Tashicho dzong in memory of the victims and organized three-day long puja in major monasteries for the victims.

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