KUALA LUMPUR – The pilot of the downed Saurya Airlines aircraft is the only survivor as 18 others onboard were killed in the crash during its takeoff at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu.
He has been rushed to hospital, reported Nepal news agency PTI.
It was reported that the Pokhara-bound plane slipped off the TIA runway and crashed while trying to take off.
Witnesses at the airport said significant plumes of smoke rose at the crash site as a fire broke out.
According to the carrier’s site, it exclusively flies Bombardier CRJ 200 jets.
The Nepali aviation industry is plagued with safety issues and poor maintenance, averaging a flight disaster a year.
The latest accident was in January last year where a Yeti Airlines plane crashed near Pokhara. All 72 people on board lost their lives in the incident.
Later, Wisma Putra confirmed that no Malaysians were involved in the crash. – July 24, 2024