Nepal plane crash: Saurya Airlines aircraft carrying 19 people crashes during takeoff in Kathmandu

A Saurya Airlines aircraft crashed during takeoff at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu on Wednesday.

The Pokhara-bound plane, carrying nineteen people including the aircrew, slipped off the runway and crashed at around 11 am. As per the visuals, the aircraft can be seen engulfed in the fire after the crash.

The pilot of the aircraft has been taken to a hospital, a security official deployed at the airport told news agency PTI.

A fire that broke out from the aircraft has been put off. Police and firefighters are carrying out rescue operations at the accident site. Details about the condition of the passengers were not known.

Saurya Airlines is a domestic carrier with a fleet of just 3 airplanes, all Bombardier CRJ 200. Each aircraft has a capacity of 50 passengers.

Nepal averages about one flight disaster a year. Since 2010, the Himalayan destination has witnessed at least 12 fatal plane crashes, including the latest one.

In January 2023, a tragic accident took place when a Yeti Airlines flight crashed near the central city of Pokhara. All 72 people on board, including passengers and crew members, lost their lives in the incident.

The aircraft plummeted into a steep gorge, breaking into pieces and bursting into flames as it approached Pokhara.