A passenger plane crashed during takeoff in Kathmandu on Wednesday, resulting in the pilot being rescued from the flaming wreckage, while all 18 other occupants perished.
Nepal’s aviation safety record is notorious, with a history of numerous fatal incidents involving light planes and helicopters over the decades.
According to Nepali police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki, the Saurya Airlines flight was carrying two crew members and 17 staff from the airline.
“The pilot has been rescued and is receiving medical treatment,” he stated. “Eighteen bodies, including one foreigner, have been recovered, and are being prepared for post-mortem examination.”
Gyanendra Bhul of Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority indicated that the flight was undertaken for technical or maintenance purposes, but did not provide specifics.
Neither Bahadur nor Bhul could confirm the nationality of the sole foreigner on board.
The crash occurred around 11:15 am (0530 GMT), according to a military statement, which noted the swift response of the army’s quick response team in aiding rescue operations.
Reports from Khabarhub suggested that the airplane caught fire after skidding on the runway.
The flight was scheduled to operate along Nepal’s busiest air route between Kathmandu and Pokhara, a key tourism center in the Himalayan nation.
Saurya Airlines operates exclusively with Bombardier CRJ 200 jets, according to its website.
Nepal’s aviation sector has expanded significantly in recent years, facilitating transportation of goods, people, and foreign tourists to remote areas, but has struggled with safety issues due to inadequate training and maintenance. The country’s challenging mountainous terrain further complicates aviation operations.
Due to safety concerns, all Nepali carriers are barred from the European Union airspace.
Nepal’s runways are among the most challenging globally, surrounded by snow-capped peaks and subject to rapidly changing weather conditions, which pose formidable challenges for even experienced pilots.
The last major commercial aviation accident in Nepal occurred in January 2023, when a Yeti Airlines flight crashed while landing in Pokhara, resulting in the deaths of all 72 passengers and crew on board.
This incident was Nepal’s deadliest since 1992, when a Pakistan International Airlines plane crashed while approaching Kathmandu airport, claiming 167 lives.
Earlier that year, a Thai Airways aircraft crashed near the same airport, resulting in the deaths of 113 people.