Source:Aviation safety Network
Eighteen People Killed in Fatal Accident
Eighteen people were killed after a plane crashed and caught fire during takeoff from Nepal's capital, Kathmandu. The only survivor is the pilot, who is currently receiving treatment in hospital after being rescued from the burning wreckage. The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday when the Saurya Airlines flight, carrying 17 company employees and two crew members, was bound for the Himalayan tourism hub of Pokhara in western Nepal.
Incident Details and Rescue Efforts
The flight, part of a routine maintenance check, crashed at approximately 11:15 local time (05:30 GMT), a few minutes after taking off from Tribhuvan International Airport. According to the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority's search and rescue coordination centre, the crash happened almost immediately after the plane left the ground.
Eyewitnesses described a loud noise that resembled a truck overturning, followed by an explosion as the plane hit the ground and caught fire. Rescue workers rushed to the site, finding large parts of the plane charred and blackened. Photos showed the wreckage and parts of the plane inside an air freight container.
Survivor's Condition and Investigation
Police spokesperson Dan Bahadur Karki reported that the pilot sustained injuries to his eyes and forehead but his life is not in danger. The cause of the disaster remains unclear, but initial assessments suggest the plane may have flown in the wrong direction, turning right instead of left after takeoff.
Nepal's Air Safety Record
Nepal's aviation industry has long struggled with a poor safety record due to factors such as unpredictable weather and lax regulations. This crash is the latest in a series of tragic incidents. In January 2023, a Yeti Airlines crash resulted in 72 fatalities due to pilot error, making it the deadliest air crash in Nepal since 1992, when a Pakistan International Airlines plane crash claimed 167 lives.
Impact and Response
Following the crash, Kathmandu's airport closed temporarily but reopened within hours. The 17 victims were Nepali nationals, while one was a Yemeni engineer. Saurya Airlines, which operates flights to five destinations within Nepal using a fleet of three Bombardier CRJ-200 jets, stated that the plane was scheduled for maintenance starting the day after the crash. The exact reason for the crash remains under investigation.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges facing Nepal's aviation sector and underscores the need for improved safety measures to prevent future tragedies.
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