A tragic plane crash at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu, Nepal, has claimed the lives of 18 people, including co-pilot Sushant Katuwal. The Saurya Airlines plane, identified as 9N-AME (CRJ 200), was taking off when the accident occurred. The pilot, 37-year-old Manish Shakya, survived and was rescued from the wreckage, receiving treatment at a nearby hospital in Sinamangal.

Details of the Crash

The ill-fated aircraft, a Bombardier CRJ-200ER built in 2003, was mostly carrying technical staff from Saurya Airlines. Gyanendra Bhul, an information officer at TIA, confirmed that the plane was en route to Pokhara Regional Airport for maintenance.

Witnesses reported that the plane flipped during takeoff from the southern end of the runway, causing its wing tip to hit the ground. The aircraft immediately caught fire and plunged into a gorge on the eastern side of the runway. Rescue operations were promptly initiated, with police and firefighters deployed to the crash site.

Victims and Survivors

Among the deceased were the child and wife of Manu Raj Sharma, a technician at Saurya Airlines. The crash has left a devastating impact on the airline's community, with many of the victims being its technical staff.

Background on Saurya Airlines

Saurya Airlines was acquired by India's Kuber Group in 2019 for 630 million Nepali rupees. Plans to rebrand the airline as Kuber Airlines in 2021 were eventually put on hold. The Kathmandu airport had previously halted all flights of Saurya Airlines in December 2018 due to unpaid debts but allowed the carrier to resume operations in 2020 after partial payment.

Previous Aviation Incident

This incident follows a similar tragedy last year when a Yeti Airlines aircraft crashed in Pokhara, killing all 72 people on board, including five Indians. The crash was attributed to human error, according to an investigation report.