Plane carrying tourists crashes near Mt. Everest, killing 18, official says

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Source: Associated Press

KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) _ A small airplane crashed and caught fire Wednesday as it tried to land in foggy weather at a tiny mountain airport near Mount Everest, killing 18 people, including 16 tourists from Germany, Australia and Nepal, officials said.

Only one person, the pilot, survived.

The 19-seat Yeti Airlines DeHavilland DHC-6 Twin Otter, which had taken off from the capital, Katmandu, snagged its wheels on a security fence during its landing at Lukla airport, about 40 miles (60 kilometers) from Mount Everest, said Mohan Adhikari, general manager of the Katmandu airport.

The plane caught fire and came to a stop within the airport grounds, Adhikari said.

Read more: http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-as-nepal-plane-crash,0,7331299.story