Nepal Plane Crash: 18 Dead, Pilot Injured After Takeoff from Kathmandu, Wing Hit Ground, Fire Erupted

A plane has crashed in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Out of the 19 people on board, 18 have died. The injured pilot, Captain M. Shakya, has been taken to the hospital in critical condition. The plane was en route from Kathmandu to Pokhara.

The plane took off from Tribhuvan Airport around 11 AM. Shortly after, it crashed. The 9N-AME plane belonged to Saurya Airlines. Among those who died in the crash, 17 were staff members of Saurya Airlines, and the other 2 were crew members.

According to the Kathmandu Post, police and firefighters arrived at the crash site immediately after the incident to conduct rescue operations. News agency PTI reported that a security officer stated that the plane caught fire during the crash, but the fire was quickly extinguished.

Photos from the scene show billowing smoke. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.

The Plane Was Heading to Pokhara

It has been revealed that the plane belonged to Saurya Airlines. The accident occurred at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. The plane was en route to Pokhara and carried only the airline’s technical staff. No passengers were on board, according to the airport’s information officer. When the plane crashed, it transformed into a fireball, and clouds of smoke quickly rose into the sky.

Rescue Operation Launched

Sources indicate that five people have died in the crash so far. There were 19 people on board. Rescue teams have arrived at the scene and launched a rescue operation. Efforts are being made to control the fire on the plane, with the fire department using water hoses.

Eyewitness Account: Jolt During Takeoff, Then Crash

Eyewitnesses at the scene told the Kathmandu Post, “The plane took off from the southern end of the runway. It suddenly jolted, and its wings hit the ground. Then the plane caught fire and crashed between Buddha Air’s hangar and the radar station at the eastern part of the runway.”

68 People Died in Nepal Plane Crash in 2023

Previously, on January 14, 2023, a plane crash occurred in Nepal. Yeti Airlines’ ATR-72 plane crashed in Pokhara, 205 km from Kathmandu. There were 68 passengers and four crew members on board. The plane crashed into a hill just 10 seconds before landing at Pokhara International Airport, causing a fire and falling into a gorge.