Kathmandu: A total of 18 people were killed after a Pokhara-bound plane crashed during takeoff at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Nepal on Wednesday. A video showing the exact moment when the Saurya Airlines’ plane nosedived, crashed and burst into flames has been accessed by Republic.
Eyewitnesses at the crash site reported that the plane took off from the southern end of the runway, then suddenly veered and struck the ground with its wing. After the impact, the aircraft caught fire and crashed on the eastern side of the runway.
Watch the video of Nepal plane crash here:
Footage from the spot showed dramatic scenes of the plane speeding down the runway before a fire broke out with high flames and thick black smoke billowing from the wreckage. The plane’s wreckage has been recovered with the bodies of 18 individuals.
At least 19 people, including aircrew, were aboard the private Saurya Airlines plane which met with the accident at around 11 am, sources said. Fortunately, the pilot survived the crash and was transported to Kathmandu Medical College Hospital for treatment. The pilot has been identified as Captain Manish Shakya.
An unnamed doctor at the hospital reported that while the pilot has eye injuries, he is not in critical condition. The plane was traveling from Kathmandu to the resort town of Pokhara.
“The accident occurred after the Pokhara-bound flight suffered a runway excursion during takeoff,” said TIA Spokesperson Subash Jha.
Nepal Plane Crash: List of People Aboard Saurya Airlines’ Plane CRJ7
As per a report, the plane was only carrying technical staff of the airline. ”There were no passengers on board but the plane was carrying few technical staff,” Gyanendra Bhul, information officer at the TIA, said.
How Did The Nepal Plane Crash Happen?
“The plane took off from the southern end of the runway but suddenly jerked, causing its wing to hit the ground. It then caught fire and crashed on the eastern side of the runway, between the Buddha Air hangar and the radar station”, an Eyewitness told Republic.
It fell between the Buddha Air hangar and the radar station. Tribhuvan International Airport, the main airport in Nepal for international and domestic flights, has been closed as emergency crew worked.
A fire that broke out from the aircraft has been put off, said a security official deployed at the airport. Police and firefighters are carrying out rescue operations at the accident site.
Authorities have shut down the TIA following the plane crash, the MyRepublica news portal reported. Dozens of international and domestic flights have been affected due to the airport closure.
Deadly Plane Crashes of Nepal
Nepal has a troubling history of deadly plane crashes, largely attributed to its challenging terrain. Over the past 30 years, there have been at least 27 fatal plane crashes in the Himalayan nation, according to the Aviation Safety database.
In 2023, a tragic incident occurred when an ATR 72 aircraft belonging to Yati Airlines crashed in Pokhara, killing 72 people. The aircraft, with 68 passengers and four crew members, went down about 20 minutes after departing from Kathmandu, just a few kilometers from its destination in Pokhara.
Another deadly crash happened in 2022 when a Tara Airlines plane, carrying 22 people including four Indians, crashed in Mustang District. All passengers’ bodies were recovered three days later.
The “Twin Crashes of February 2016” highlight another dark chapter. On February 24, 2016, a Tara Airlines aircraft crashed in Myagdi district, killing 23 people. Two days later, an Air Kashthamandap plane crashed in Kalikot district, killing two crew members and injuring all nine passengers. These incidents underscore the ongoing challenges of aviation safety in Nepal.
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