On Wednesday, a Saurya Airlines passenger plane crashed shortly after take-off in Kathmandu, resulting in the deaths of 18 people. The pilot was rescued from the wreckage and is currently in serious condition, according to Nepali police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki. The flight carried two crew members and 17 staff members of the airline.
The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that the crash killed all 18 passengers, including a Yemeni citizen. The plane veered off the runway and crashed on the east side, igniting a fire upon impact. Nearby witness Ram Kumar K.C. recounted seeing the plane catch fire and hearing an explosion shortly after.
Images shared by Nepal's military depicted the plane's burnt fuselage and soldiers inspecting the wreckage. The crash has left many grieving relatives, including Rajan Acharya, who lost his brother and best friend, a safety officer aboard the flight.
Saurya Airlines operates Bombardier CRJ 200 jets and was conducting this flight for technical or maintenance purposes. Nepal’s aviation industry, though vital for connecting remote areas and serving tourists, has a poor safety record due to inadequate training and maintenance, coupled with the country's challenging geography.
The European Union has banned all Nepali carriers from its airspace over safety concerns. This crash is the latest in a series of aviation tragedies in Nepal, including a January 2023 crash in Pokhara that killed 72 people and a 1992 crash that claimed 167 lives.
