Chinese tourist dead in plane crash in Nepal

KATHMANDU - A Chinese tourist and a pilot have been confirmed dead in an ultralight aircraft crash in Pokhara, in western Nepal, Thursday morning.

According to local police, the two-seater aircraft belonging to Avia Club Pokhara crashed near Shanti Stupa, a famous tourist attraction of the city, at 9:30 am.

Prabin Gauchan of Avia Club identified the dead as Liu Jian of China and pilot Stephen Shrestha who was also the proprietor of the aircraft.

Gauchan added that the exact reason for the crash has not been known and needs to be investigated, but local police suspect the sudden change in the weather, which has been rainy since last night, may be the reason.

Pokhara is the second largest city in the Himalayan republic and is its major tourist hub.