Just In: Plane Crashes On Takeoff In Nepal With 19 Aboard
A passenger plane carrying 19 individuals, including aircrew, crashed during takeoff at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport on Wednesday morning.
The Saurya Airlines flight was en route to Pokhara, a significant tourism hub in the Himalayan nation when it met with the accident at around 11:15 am local time (0530 GMT).
Nepal’s military confirmed the incident in a statement, highlighting that rescue operations are ongoing with the assistance of the army’s quick response team.
The plane reportedly caught fire after skidding on the runway, producing a substantial plume of smoke, as reported by local news portal, Khabarhub.
The General Manager of Kathmandu Airport, Jagannath Niroula, stated that further details regarding the crash are still being confirmed.
The Kathmandu Post reported that the aircraft was a Bombardier CRJ 200 jet, a model exclusively flown by Saurya Airlines.
Nepal’s air industry has seen rapid growth in recent years, serving as a critical link between remote areas and catering to foreign trekkers and climbers.
However, the industry has been marred by safety concerns attributed to insufficient training and maintenance, leading to the European Union banning all Nepali carriers from its airspace.
The country’s challenging geography, marked by some of the world’s most difficult runways flanked by snow-capped peaks, adds to the complexity of aviation safety.
The weather in these mountainous regions can also change abruptly, creating hazardous flying conditions.
This crash follows Nepal’s last major commercial flight accident in January 2023, when a Yeti Airlines flight crashed while landing in Pokhara, resulting in the deaths of all 72 individuals on board.
The deadliest accident in Nepal’s aviation history occurred in 1992 when a Pakistan International Airlines plane crashed on approach to Kathmandu airport, killing all 167 people on board.
Another tragic incident earlier that year involved a Thai Airways aircraft crash near the same airport, resulting in 113 fatalities.
Authorities have yet to release the identities of those aboard the Saurya Airlines flight. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
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