Nepal plane crash: Eight TN builders' holiday turns tragic

A mountain flight to view the Mount Everest at the conclusion of a business conference ended in a tragedy for a group of eight city-based builders when their plane crashed in Nepal on Sunday.

The deceased -- all members of the Builders' Association of India -- were in New Delhi from September 21 for an industry conference and had planned in advance for the trip to Nepal, a family member of one of the victims said in Tiruchirappalli.

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"It is a rude shock to us. My father spoke to me last night on arrival in Kathmandu. We were expecting his safe return," M V Anand, son of M V Maruthachalam, one of the deceased, said.

Expressing shock over the deaths, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa conveyed her condolences to the bereaved families."I express my deepest condolences to the families of those killed in the mishap," she said in a statement at Chennai.

A pall of gloom descended in Tiruchirappalli following news of the death of the eight builders in the plane crash. Ten Indians were among 19 people killed when a small plane carrying them crashed and broke into pieces at Kotdanda hills near the Nepalese capital.

Earlier, the family members of the deceased made desperate attempts to contact their dear ones through their mobile phones after hearing reports about the crash, but there was no response.

Official sources said the news about their death was confirmed after one of the relatives called up the Kathmandu airport. The eight were supposed to return on September 28.

Relatives of the victims will go to Nepal to bring back the bodies. Construction activities have been suspended in Tiruchirappalli as a mark of respect to the deceased.