Nepal Plane Crash: 18 Bodies Recovered from Saurya Airlines Flight Wreckage, Pilot Rescued
Nepal Plane Crash: All 18 Passengers and Crew Killed in Saurya Airlines Incident, Pilot Rescued
In a tragic plane crash in Kathmandu, all 18 passengers and crew members on board a Saurya Airlines aircraft have died. However, the pilot has been rescued and hospitalized.
The incident occurred on Wednesday when the Saurya Airlines plane crashed during takeoff at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, which has now been closed. The flight was bound for Pokhara, carrying 19 people, including the crew.
According to TIA spokesperson Premnath Thakur, the crash happened around 11 AM. Police and firefighters are currently conducting rescue operations at the crash site. The cause of the accident remains unknown.
All 18 bodies have been recovered from the site. Captain Manish Shakya, the 37-year-old pilot, was rescued and taken to a hospital in Sinamangal.
Reports suggest the plane skidded off the runway during takeoff and burst into flames upon crashing. Firefighters and security personnel are on the scene to extinguish the fire and search for survivors.
The ill-fated flight, Saurya Airlines 9N-AME, a Mitsubishi CRJ-200ER, was also carrying a few technical staffers, as reported by The Himalayan Times.
Witnesses quoted by the Kathmandu Post said the plane attempted to take off from the southern end of the runway, but it suddenly veered to one side, causing a wingtip to hit the ground. This led to the plane catching fire, crashing, and plunging into a gorge on the eastern side of the runway.