TBM Staff - Mumbai
A private plane crashed during takeoff at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Wednesday morning, resulting in a fire with 19 people on board. According to the Kathmandu Post, 18 bodies have been recovered from the accident site. The pilot, Captain M R Shakya, was rushed to the hospital and is currently receiving treatment.
The plane, owned by Saurya Airlines, was bound for Pokhara when it crashed at around 11 am. The aircraft suffered a runway excursion during takeoff, skidding off the runway’s southern end (Koteshwor side) and flipping, with the wing tip hitting the ground. Thick smoke enveloped the airport following the crash.
Emergency responders have extinguished the fire, and a team is conducting further search and rescue efforts. The identities of the passengers are not immediately known, but Reuters reported that the 17 passengers on board were technicians employed by the airline, heading to Pokhara for maintenance checks. An official stated that the aircraft crashed into a field east of the runway.
This incident follows a previous crash in January 2023, when a Yeti Airlines flight crashed before landing in Pokhara, resulting in 74 fatalities.
