The plane operated by Tara Air took off from the tourist town of Pokhara, 80 miles (125km) west of the capital, Kathmandu, and headed towards Jomsom, about 48 miles to the northwest.

The airline mainly flies Canadian-built Twin Otter turboprop planes.

Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority said that one search helicopter had returned to Jomsom due to bad weather without locating the plane.

“Helicopters are ready to take off for search from Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Jomsom once weather conditions improve. Army and police search teams have left towards the site,” it added.

Nepal's aviation industry has long been plagued by poor safety due to insufficient training and maintenance.

The country also has some of the world's most remote and tricky runways that pose a challenge even for the most skilled pilots. (ILKHA)