Yeti Airline's 9N AFE Twin Otter crashed near the Tenzing Hillary Airport, Lukla, on Wednesday morning, killing 18 people. The crash victims include 12 German, two Australian and two Nepali passengers.

Co-pilot Bikash Pant and airhostess Sunita Shrestha have also died in the crash. Only one crew member, the pilot Surendra Kuwar, survived the tragic accident and is currently receiving treatment in Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu.

The Twin Otter took off from Kathmandu and crashed on its final approach to the airport at around 7.30AM. The aircraft burst into flames after crash-landing on the sloping airstrip.

A rescue helicopter has been dispatched to the area. The army at the airport is executing rescue operation.The government will form a committee to investigate the crash.

Experts say that bad weather caused the accident. Although the weather had been fine earlier in the morning, it suddenly turned foggy around the time of the plane's landing. Two other Yeti aircrafts had landed at the airport the same morning before the crash.

This accident is possibly the biggest after the helicopter crash in Taplejung two years ago which killed all 24 passengers.