UPDATE 2 - Nepal recovers 21 bodies at site of plane crash

UPDATES DEATH TOLL; CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) - Rescuers have recovered 21 dead bodies at a site where the wreckage of a small passenger plane, carrying 22 people from Nepal's tourist city of Pokhara, was found on Monday morning, according to the country's civil aviation authorities.

Deo Chandra Lal, spokesman for Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority, told Anadolu Agency that one person is still missing and the search operation is still underway in the area.

A spokesman for the army on Monday morning announced that search and rescue troops physically located the plane crash site, while the cause of the crash has yet to be announced.

The private plane, operated by Nepal's Tara Air, had gone missing soon after taking off Sunday from the tourist city of Pokhara.

There were 19 passengers and three crew members on board the 9N-AET Twin Otter aircraft, which was traveling to the Jomson area in western Nepal.

Search and rescue operation resumed Monday morning after they were halted Sunday evening due to adverse weather and loss of daylight, officials had said.

The Indian Embassy in Nepal said Sunday that four Indian nationals were among those on board the plane.