Nepal 2012: Big event in Pepsi Cola Town Planning

On my morning walk I noticed the streets were particularly busy with cars,trucks, motorbikes and pedestrians all walking in the same direction. I thought it was perhaps the Friday morning ritual, getting ready for the one day off. Then I came to the main junction in town and the road leaving town was closed so I deducted it must be a strike, they happen here randomly but everyone knows when there is one. Then a couple of students from my school ran up to me and explained there had been a plane crash 1km from the airport. Then I arrived home my house mother told me the same thing, the news had spread from mouth to mouth and over the news cast to fast. The accident happened at 6:40am and by 7 the whole town knew. It was the topic of conversation all day at school, everyone was talking about it. The place was carrying 19 people, 6 British, 6 Chinese, the rest Nepali crew and sherpas. They were headed to Mt Everest base camp for a trek. Apparently a bird flew into the engine and the captain lost control. He managed to steer the plane away from the houses and town and so it crashed nose first by the river bank. All were killed. You have to understand in a place like this, this is absolutely the biggest story to break in a long time, so naturally everyone had to get to the crash site to see it for themselves. My friend Bruwan offered to drive me and some people to the site so we went. The site was on the other side of the river to which there is no road so people were crossing the river by foot to get a closer look. The site has been cordoned off by the army but still people had to get close to have a look. I asked Bruwan if they were coming to pay respects, he said no they are just curious. Talk about gawking!

Here are a few pictures of the day.