KATHMANDU: At least 18 people lost their lives when a small plane crashed and caught fire during takeoff from Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, on Wednesday, officials reported.
The aircraft was carrying two crew members and 17 technicians en route to Pokhara city for an aircraft repair mission. Tej Bahadur Poudyal, spokesman for Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport, confirmed, “Only the captain was rescued alive and is receiving treatment at a hospital.”
Television footage showed firefighters battling the blaze, with thick black smoke billowing into the sky. The plane was seen flying just above the runway before tilting and crashing. Rescue workers were later seen sifting through the charred remains in lush green fields, and bodies were transported to ambulances on stretchers as locals looked on.
Officials identified the plane as a Bombardier, with media reporting it belonged to Saurya Airlines. Following the incident, the airport was temporarily closed. Saurya Airlines operates domestic flights in Nepal using two Bombardier CRJ-200 regional jets, both around 20 years old, according to Flight Radar 24.
Nepal has faced criticism for its poor air safety record, with nearly 350 fatalities in plane or helicopter crashes since 2000. The deadliest crash occurred in 1992, when a Pakistan International Airlines Airbus crashed into a hillside while approaching Kathmandu, killing 167 people. More recently, a Yeti Airlines crash in January 2023 resulted in at least 72 deaths, attributed to pilot error.
