Two American citizens killed in Nepal plane crash

(NEW YORK) — Two U.S. citizens and two permanent U.S. residents were among those killed in the plane crash in Nepal earlier this week, State Department spokesman Ned Price said during a briefing Wednesday.

“We are deeply saddened to hear of the tragic Yeti Airlines crash over the weekend, which killed 72 people, including two U.S. citizens and two lawful permanent residents,” Price said. “Our thoughts are with the families of those on board.”

“The United States stands ready to support Nepal in any way we can at this difficult hour,” Price added.

The Yeti Airlines flight from Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, to Pokhara crashed near Pokhara International Airport on Sunday. All 72 people, including 68 passengers and four crew, died as it plunged into a 300-meter-deep gorge. There were three children and three infants on the flight.

In the initial list of nationalities of those on board the flight, there was no mention of any Americans. Of the 68 passengers on board the twin-engine plane, 15 were Nepali, according to a flight manifest shared by Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority on Sunday. Officials said the remaining passengers were from India, Russia, South Korea, Ireland, Australia, Argentina and France.

The plane’s two black boxes — the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder — were both recovered on Monday. The data recorder will be sent to France for it to be analyzed, authorities said.

Authorities have not said what they believe doomed the airliner.

Monday was declared a national day of mourning in the country.

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