Nepal plane crash: 18 dead as aircraft crashes during takeoff in Kathmandu

A plane crashed in Nepal on Wednesday

A Saurya Airlines aircraft, with 19 people onboard, crashed during takeoff at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu on Wednesday.

The aircraft was bound for the famous resort town of Pokhara when the accident occurred, according to local media.

Nineteen people, including aircrew, were aboard the airline which met with an accident at around 11 am today.

The dead bodies of 18 people have been recovered and one injured person was rescued and taken to the hospital, according to the latest update from Tribhuvan International Airport.

The pilot of the aircraft has been taken to a hospital, a security official deployed at the airport told PTI without giving further details.

#WATCH | Plane crashes at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Nepal's Kathmandu

Details awaited pic.twitter.com/DNXHSvZxCz — ANI (@ANI) July 24, 2024

A fire that broke out from the aircraft has been put off, he added.

Soon after the incident, police and firefighters arrived at the accident site to carry out rescue operations. Tribhuvan International Airport, the main airport in Nepal for international and domestic flights, has been closed as emergency crew worked.

Saurya Airlines is a domestic carrier with a fleet of just three airplanes, all Bombardier CRJ 200. Each aircraft has a capacity of 50 passengers, according to the official website.