Aviation authorities in Nepal report that eighteen persons were k!lled in a jet crash that occurred on Wednesday during takeoff in the nation’s capital, Kathmandu.
There were nineteen passengers aboard the Saurya Airlines flight, which was traveling to Pokhara, a well-liked mountaineering and tourism destination.
There were two crew members and seventeen technical staff members from Saurya Airlines on board the aircraft for the test flight. Videos on the internet showed the plane covered in clouds of smoke and fire.
There are concerns that the death toll may increase while the search is still underway.
Dan Bahadur Karki, a spokesman for the Nepali police, confirmed the fatalities and said that a pilot who sustained injuries is being treated by doctors.
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Nepal’s record on flight safety is dismal. At least 72 people perished in a Yeti Airlines disaster in January 2023, which was eventually linked to the pilots’ mistaken power-cutting.
Eight of the world’s fourteen highest mountains, including Everest, are located in the Himalayan nation, which also has a history of aviation mishaps.
Because of the abrupt changes in weather, airstrips are usually located in remote, hilly places that are challenging to access. These difficulties increase the likelihood of aircraft crashes, as per a 2019 Civil Aviation Authority safety report, for aircraft with 19 seats or less.
