KATHMANDU, Nepal: An aircraft operated by a private airline in Nepal went missing on Sunday with 22 people on board, airline and government officials told. The aircraft was flying from the tourist town of Pokhara to Jomsom in west Nepal, they said.

An Nepalese aircraft carrying 19 passengers, including four Indians, lost contact with ground support on Sunday morning, confirmed airport authorities.

The authorities said Tara Air's twin-engine aircraft, flying from Pokhara to Jomsom in Nepal, lost contact at 9.55 am.

During the briefing, Chief District Officer Netra Prasad Sharma said, "The aircraft was seen over the sky of Jomsom in Mustang district and then had diverted to Mt Dhaulagiri after which it hadn't come into contact."

Meanwhile, local media reported that the missing aircraft was carrying four Indian and three Japanese nationals. the remaining were Nepali citizens. 

As reported by Kathmandu Post, an air traffic controller at Jomsom Airport said they received an unconfirmed report about a loud noise in Ghasa of Jomson.

Tara Air spokesperson Sudarshan Bartaula confirmed that the plane has gone missing and a search operation has been initiated.

A chopper has been dispatched to the areas where the last contact was made, according to the Jomsom Airport's ATC.

Further details are awaited.