At least 18 dead in Nepal after plane veers off runway during takeoff

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On Wednesday, a domestic plane crashed during takeoff from the airport in Nepal’s capital, killing 18 people and injuring the pilot, the only survivor.

Police officer Basanta Rajauri said authorities had recovered all 18 bodies.

The only survivor was the pilot, who was taken to Kathmandu Medical College Hospital for treatment. A doctor at the hospital said the pilot had eye injuries but was not in danger.

The airline’s passenger list showed two pilots and 17 passengers. The crew and 16 passengers were Nepalese nationals, one was identified as a foreigner, but his nationality was not disclosed.

The Saurya Airlines plane was en route from Kathmandu to the holiday resort of Pokhara.

It was not clear how it had slipped.

Local media images showed smoke rising and aircraft debris scattered across a ditch. A fire was brought under control.

Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal’s main airport for international and domestic flights, was closed while rescue personnel worked.

It is currently monsoon season in Kathmandu, but it was not raining at the time of the crash. However, visibility in the capital was poor.

Saurya Airlines operates the Bombardier CRJ 200 on domestic routes.

Kathmandu Airport, Nepal’s main airport, is located in a valley surrounded by mountains on most sides. It is considered a challenging airport for pilots and larger aircraft must land through an opening in the mountain. The airport is right next to the city and is surrounded by residential areas.

In 2019, a Bangladeshi plane crashed at Tribhuvan Airport, killing 51 people and 20 surviving. An investigation confirmed that the plane was not on the runway and its pilot had become disoriented and attempted to land out of “sheer desperation” when the plane crashed.

In 2015, a Turkish Airlines jet landed in thick fog and veered off the airport’s slippery runway. There were 238 people on board, but no one was seriously injured.