A Saurya Airlines domestic flight crashed Wednesday shortly after takeoff from Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport, resulting in 18 fatalities. The pilot, who survived with eye injuries, is the lone survivor of the tragic incident.
Police official Basanta Rajauri confirmed that all 18 bodies have been recovered from the crash site. The pilot is currently receiving treatment at Kathmandu Medical College Hospital, where doctors report his injuries are not life-threatening.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the plane, bound for the resort town of Pokhara, took off at 11:11 a.m. local time. It turned right after takeoff but crashed moments later in the eastern section of the airport. While it was not raining at the time of the crash, visibility was low across the capital due to the ongoing monsoon season.
The airline manifest revealed that the flight carried two pilots and 17 passengers, including 16 Nepali nationals and one Yemeni national. All bodies have been transferred to T.U. Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu for autopsy.
Tribhuvan International Airport, known for its challenging landing conditions due to its location in a valley surrounded by mountains, has been temporarily closed as emergency crews and investigators begin their work. The airport’s proximity to the city and surrounding neighborhoods adds to the complexity of flight operations.
This incident adds to a history of aviation accidents in Nepal. In 2019, a Bangladeshi airliner crash at the same airport resulted in 51 fatalities, while a 2015 incident involving a Turkish Airlines jet skidding off the runway fortunately resulted in no serious injuries.
As investigations begin, this latest crash raises further questions about aviation safety in Nepal and the challenges faced by pilots operating in the country’s unique geographical conditions. The incident serves as a somber reminder of the ongoing need for improved safety measures in Nepal’s aviation sector.
