A tragic incident occurred in Nepal as a Saurya Airlines plane crashed and caught fire while taking off from Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport Nepal. The crash claimed the lives of 18 people, with the pilot being the only survivor. He is currently receiving medical treatment for injuries sustained during the accident.
The ill-fated flight was carrying 17 company employees, including technical staff, along with two crew members. It was headed to Pokhara, a popular tourism hub in the west of Nepal. The crash took place shortly after the plane took off at approximately 11:15 local time (05:30 GMT). Eyewitnesses described hearing a loud noise and seeing the aircraft hit the ground before it burst into flames. Despite rescue efforts, all passengers except the pilot perished in the fiery wreckage.
The pilot, who sustained injuries to his eyes and forehead, was rescued from the burning plane. Authorities have stated that his life is not in danger. According to Jagannath Niraula, the airport chief, the plane crashed almost immediately after takeoff, within less than a minute. Initial assessments suggested that the plane flew in the wrong direction, turning right instead of left, which might have contributed to the crash.
Rescue operations quickly ensued, with fire engines and ambulances dispatched to the site. Images from the scene depicted rescue workers navigating through the charred remains of the aircraft. The bodies of the deceased were transported to TU Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu for autopsy. Among the victims were 17 Nepalis and one Yemeni national who was working as an engineer.
The crash temporarily closed Kathmandu’s airport, which later reopened. Nepal’s aviation industry has long been criticized for its poor safety record, attributed to factors such as insufficient training, lack of maintenance, and the challenging mountainous terrain. The country’s aviation history is marred by frequent accidents, including the deadly crash of a Yeti Airlines flight in January 2023, which killed all 72 people on board.
Nepal’s treacherous geography and rapidly changing weather conditions make flying particularly hazardous. The country’s airports, surrounded by mountains, pose significant challenges even for experienced pilots. Despite the booming aviation industry that facilitates transportation across remote areas, safety remains a critical concern. The European Union has banned all Nepali carriers from its airspace due to persistent safety issues.
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