Eighteen people lost their lives when a plane crashed and caught fire during takeoff from Kathmandu, Nepal's capital. The only survivor, the pilot, is currently hospitalized and receiving treatment after being rescued from the burning wreckage.
The Saurya Airlines flight was en route to Pokhara, a popular tourism destination in the Himalayas, and was carrying 17 company employees, including technical staff, along with two crew members. The accident occurred shortly after the plane took off from Tribhuvan International Airport at approximately 11:15 local time (05:30 GMT).
Nepal's aviation sector has faced persistent safety issues due to various factors such as unpredictable weather and lax regulations. The crash happened just moments after the plane became airborne, as reported by the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority's search and rescue coordination center.
According to police spokesperson Dan Bahadur Karki, the pilot sustained injuries to his eyes and forehead but is not in critical condition. Witnesses described a loud noise, initially mistaken for a truck overturning, followed by the plane crashing and catching fire. There was a subsequent explosion that prompted bystanders to retreat.
Airport chief Jagannath Niraula noted that the plane veered off course immediately after takeoff, turning right instead of left. Initial assessments suggested that this deviation might have contributed to the crash.
Footage from the scene shows the plane tilting before crashing and erupting into flames, with large parts of the wreckage blackened and charred. Rescue workers navigated through the debris, and fire engines and ambulances were quickly dispatched.
Among the deceased, 17 were Nepali nationals, and one was a Yemeni engineer. The aircraft was scheduled for a month of maintenance starting Thursday, though the cause of the crash remains unclear. Kathmandu's airport temporarily closed after the incident but reopened within hours.
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