Briton killed in Nepalese plane crash

A Briton was among those who died in a plane crash in Nepal today, the Foreign Office (FO) said.

The Briton, who is yet to be named, was among 14 people on a German-built Dornier plane which went down in heavy rain near a village about 50 miles south of the Nepal capital Katmandu.

There were no survivors in the accident which happened when the aircraft, operated by Nepalese carrier Agni Air, was trying to return to Katmandu.

A witness reported that the aircraft had broken into several pieces on impact.

An FO spokeswoman said today: "It is with great regret that we can confirm that a British national was killed in this morning's air accident in Nepal.

"The next of kin have been notified and we are providing consular assistance to them. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims of this tragic accident. We continue to be in close touch with the Nepalese authorities."

The plane was carrying 11 passengers and three crew. Nepal's civil aviation authority said that as well as the Briton, there were four Americans and one Japanese aboard, while the remaining passengers and crew were Nepalese.

Attempts to reach the crash site were being hampered by the fact that the area has no roads and is accessible only by foot, with the route from the nearest town being blocked by a river flooded by monsoon rainfall.