At least 18 people were killed when a small plane crashed just after taking off from Nepal’s capital of Kathmandu on Wednesday.
The pilot, who was taken to Kathmandu Medical College Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries to his eyes, is the sole survivor of the Saurya Airlines crash at Tribhuvan International Airport.
All those on board – 18 Nepalis and a Yemeni citizen – were either mechanics or airline employees, according to police.
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The Bombardier CRJ 200 aircraft – en route for technical maintenance in the resort town of Pokhara – crashed moments after takeoff in the eastern section of the airport about 11am local time, airport spokesperson Gyanendra Bhul said.
Images from Nepal police showed thick smoke billowing from the burning aircraft on the airport runway.
“Rescue efforts were started immediately and the situation was brought under control,” the aviation authority said.
It is the monsoon rain season in Kathmandu but was not raining at the time of the crash. Visibility was low across the capital, however.
The bodies have been taken to the T.U. Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu for autopsy.
Grieving relatives gathered at the hospital forensics department to collect the bodies of their loved ones, though they are not likely to be released for a day or two.
The co-pilot Sasant Katuwal had been flying only for the past three years after completing training in France, his uncle Dhyan Bahadur Khadka said at the hospital. He had just received a visa to go to Germany for further training and was excited about that, Khadka said.
Khadka said his nephew had a bright future in aviation. “His parents are grieving the loss of their only child,” Khadka said. “He was unmarried. He was not just tall and handsome, but he was well-behaved,”
The crash again highlights the dangers of air travel in Nepal, a country often referred to as one of the riskiest places to fly due to multiple factors including its mountainous terrain.
The Himalayan country, home to eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains including Everest, has a record of air accidents. Its weather can change suddenly, and airstrips are typically sited in difficult-to-reach, mountainous areas.
Aircraft with 19 seats or fewer are more likely to have accidents due to these difficulties, according to a 2019 safety report from the Civil Aviation Authority.
While the country has made improvements in safety standards in recent years, challenges remain, and a lack of investment in aging aircraft only adds to the risks of flying.
Tribhuvan International Airport, the main airport in Nepal for international and domestic flights, was closed for hours as emergency crew and investigators began their work.
Saurya Airlines operates the Bombardier CRJ 200 on domestic routes.
– with AP