A plane belonging to Nepal’s domestic carrier Saurya Airlines crashed shortly after takeoff in Kathmandu, killing everyone onboard but the pilot.
New Delhi — At least 18 people on board a small plane were killed Wednesday when it crashed shortly after taking off from the airport in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu. The pilot of the plane was the lone survivor, national aviation officials said. He was being treated for serious injuries at a local hospital.
A fire broke out on the aircraft not long after it took off from Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport, and it quickly crashed to the ground near one of the runways. The incident happened at around 11:15 local time (12:30 a.m. Eastern), according to a statement by the country’s civil aviation authority.
The statement said the plane « crashed on the east side of the runway » and that the fire that had engulfed the aircraft « was brought under control and the rescue work started immediately.
