On Wednesday, a passenger aircraft crashed during takeoff in Kathmandu. The pilot was saved from the burning wreckage, but all 18 other individuals on board tragically lost their lives, as reported by police in the Nepali capital to AFP.
Nepal has a poor history regarding aviation safety, having experienced numerous tragic incidents involving light aircraft and helicopters over the years.
According to Nepali police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki, the Saurya Airlines flight had two crew members on board along with 17 staff members from the company.
“The pilot has been saved and is currently receiving medical attention,” he stated. “We have recovered eighteen bodies, one of which is a foreign national. We are currently transporting them for autopsy.”
Gyanendra Bhul from Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority informed AFP that the flight was being carried out for technical or maintenance reasons, but he did not provide any additional information.
Bahadur and Bhul could not verify the nationality of the only foreign passenger on board.
Photos released by Nepal’s military revealed the plane’s fuselage torn apart and charred beyond recognition.
Approximately twelve soldiers in camouflage stood atop the debris, with the ground around them covered in fire retardant.
The military reported in a statement that the plane went down at approximately 11:15 am (0530 GMT) and noted that the army’s rapid response team has been providing support for the rescue operations.
The news website Khabarhub reported that the aircraft caught fire after sliding off the runway.
The aircraft was set to operate on Nepal’s most trafficked air route connecting Kathmandu and Pokhara, a key tourist destination in the Himalayan nation.
Saurya Airlines operates solely with Bombardier CRJ 200 jets, as stated on its website, and has been affected by safety concerns.
In recent years, Nepal’s aviation sector has experienced significant growth, transporting both goods and passengers to remote regions, as well as foreign trekkers and climbers.
However, it has struggled with safety concerns stemming from inadequate training and maintenance, problems further exacerbated by the challenging terrain of the mountainous republic.
The European Union has prohibited all Nepali airlines from accessing its airspace due to safety issues.
The Himalayan nation features some of the most challenging runways globally, surrounded by snow-covered mountains, with approaches that present difficulties even for skilled pilots.
Mountain weather can shift rapidly, resulting in hazardous flying conditions.
The most recent significant commercial flight accident in Nepal occurred in January 2023, when a Yeti Airlines plane crashed during its landing at Pokhara, resulting in the deaths of all 72 people on board.
The accident was Nepal’s most lethal since 1992, when a Pakistan International Airlines flight went down while nearing Kathmandu airport, resulting in the deaths of all 167 individuals on board.
Earlier that year, a Thai Airways plane had gone down close to the same airport, resulting in the deaths of 113 individuals.
(AFP)
