Watch: CCTV Footage Captures Plane Crash At Kathmandu Airport

Nepal: A tragic plane crash at Kathmandu, Tribhuvan International Airport resulted in the deaths of 18 out of 19 people on board. The aircraft, operated by Saurya Airlines, crashed during takeoff. Police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki confirmed that the sole survivor, the pilot, is receiving medical treatment.

The crash occurred around 11:15 am local time (0530 GMT). Nepal's military reported that 'rescue work is ongoing.' Local media sources, including Kathmandu Post, confirmed that the flight was en route to Pokhara and that the aircraft caught fire after skidding off the runway, producing a large plume of smoke. Dramatic footage of the incident has surfaced online, showing the plane engulfed in flames.

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Saurya Airlines exclusively operates Bombardier CRJ 200 jets. Despite recent growth in Nepal's aviation sector, issues such as safety concerns, inadequate training, and maintenance problems have plagued the industry. The European Union has imposed a blanket ban on all Nepali carriers due to these safety issues.

Nepal's challenging geography, including high-altitude runways and mountainous terrain, poses significant difficulties for pilots. The region's unpredictable weather further complicates aviation safety.

This incident follows a recent major aviation disaster in January of the previous year when a Yeti Airlines flight crashed while landing in Pokhara, killing all 72 passengers. It was the deadliest aviation disaster in Nepal since 1992, when a Pakistan International Airlines flight crashed on approach to Kathmandu, resulting in 167 fatalities. The same year, a Thai Airways flight also crashed near Kathmandu, killing 113 people.