Nepal: A small passenger plane belonging to Nepal’s Saurya Airlines crashed and caught fire shortly after taking off from the capital, Kathmandu, on Wednesday (24 July), resulting in the deaths of 18 people on board and leaving only one survivor, the captain.
The Saurya Airlines CRJ-200 aircraft, carrying two crew members and 17 passengers, veered off to the right and crashed on the east side of the runway shortly after takeoff from Tribhuvan International Airport.
The plane was en route to Nepal’s new Pokhara airport for regular maintenance, officials reported.
Among the passengers were 18 Nepali citizens, including one child, and one engineer from Yemen.
Despite the tragic loss of life, the pilot survived the crash and is receiving treatment at a hospital.
The pilot sustained injuries to the eyes but is not considered to be in danger.
Emergency services promptly responded to the crash, leading to the temporary closure of Tribhuvan International Airport.
This airport, nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains, presents a challenging environment for pilots, with larger aircraft required to navigate through a mountain opening to land.
The crash has prompted the Nepalese government to call an emergency cabinet meeting to form a panel to investigate the incident.
The panel’s findings are eagerly anticipated, as Nepal continues to struggle with a poor aviation safety record, marked by numerous deadly light plane and helicopter crashes over the decades.
The challenging terrain and insufficient training and maintenance have been significant factors contributing to Nepal’s aviation safety issues.
The country’s treacherous geography and some of the world’s trickiest runways pose considerable challenges even for experienced pilots.
As the investigation proceeds, the focus will be on understanding the causes of the crash and preventing future tragedies in Nepal’s aviation sector.