Kathmandu: Authorities have confirmed that 18 out of the 19 individuals aboard the Saurya Airlines plane tragically lost their lives following a crash at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu early Wednesday morning.
The incident occurred during takeoff, near the TIA premises, as reported by TIA officials.
The flight, bound for Pokhara, carried a total of 19 people, all of whom were airline staff, including company employees and engineers. This flight was described as a test run and did not include regular passengers.
The crash resulted in a fire that engulfed the aircraft, creating a large plume of smoke visible from a distance. Prompt response from firefighters and security personnel was crucial in containing the blaze.
The aircraft involved has been identified as a Bombardier CRJ-200, which was manufactured 21 years and 4 months ago. This specific model, produced by the Canadian company Bombardier in April 2003, was the sixth of its kind acquired for operations in Nepal, according to data from planesspotters.com.
Captain Manish Shakya, aged 37, was among those on board and was rescued from the wreckage. He sustained injuries, including an eye injury, and was swiftly transported to KMC Hospital for treatment, according to SSP Dinesh Raj Mainali, spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Police Office in Ranipokhari.
The incident has sparked an investigation into the cause of the crash, as authorities work to determine the sequence of events leading up to the tragic incident at TIA.