Pilot is the only survivor of the plane crash in Nepal that killed 18 people – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports

(CNN) — At least 18 people were killed Wednesday when a small plane skidded off the runway in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu, local officials said.

The pilot, who was hospitalized, is the only survivor of the Saurya Airlines crash, said Gyanendra Bhul, a spokesman for Tribhuvan International Airport. All on board – 18 Nepalis and a Yemeni national – were airline employees, according to police.

Pictures taken by Nepali police showed thick smoke rising from the burning plane on the airport runway.

The plane crashed during takeoff from Kathmandu to the city of Pokhara at around 11 a.m. local time, Bhul said. The aircraft was on its way for technical maintenance, he added.

“Rescue measures were initiated immediately and the situation was brought under control,” the aviation authority said.

The crash once again highlights the dangers of air travel in Nepal, a country that is often considered one of the riskiest destinations for flights due to a number of factors, including its mountainous terrain.

Air accidents are a frequent occurrence in the Himalayan country, which is home to eight of the 14 highest mountains in the world, including Mount Everest. The weather can change suddenly and the runways are usually located in mountainous regions that are difficult to access.

Aircraft with 19 or fewer seats are more likely to have an accident because of these difficulties, according to a 2019 Civil Aviation Authority safety report.

While the country has improved its safety standards in recent years, challenges remain, and a lack of investment in aging aircraft only increases the risks of flying.

Last year, Nepal experienced the worst plane crash in over 30 years. At least 68 people died when a Yeti Airlines plane crashed near Pokhara.

In May 2022, a Tara Air flight departing from Pokhara crashed into a mountain, killing 22 people.

In early 2018, a US-Bangla Airlines flight from Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka to Kathmandu crashed on landing and caught fire, killing 51 people.

And in 2016, a Tara Air flight crashed on the same route as the 2023 crash.

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