A plane with 22 people on board has gone missing in Nepal's mountains, according to officials.

The small plane operated by a private airline in the South Asian country disappeared on Sunday morning.

It had been on a 15-minute scheduled flight from the tourist town of Pokhara to the mountain town of Jomsom, and lost contact with the airport tower shortly after take-off.

Local police said there was no information on the turboprop Twin Otter plane, which belonged to Tara Air, and a search was under way.

The 9N-AET plane is said to have lost contact at 9.55am, according to a Tara Air official.

An air traffic controller at Jomsom Airport said they have an unconfirmed report about a loud noise in nearby Ghasa, according to the Kathmandu Post.

The publication added that a helicopter has been dispatched to the area where the last contact was made, which was in Lete Pass.

Nepal: Plane goes missing with 22 people on board, officials say | World News | Sky News