Saurya Airlines Plane Goes Down in Kathmandu; 19 On Board (UPDATED)

Saurya Airlines aircraft crashed during take-off at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport on Wednesday, according to The Himalayan Times. The plane was en route to Pokhara when the incident occurred. The newspaper reported that only technical staff were aboard the flight, which had a total of 19 people on board.

BREAKING: Saurya Airlines plane with at least 19 people on board crashes during takeoff in Kathmandu, Nepal pic.twitter.com/hB3KMt5ypB

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Further details about the crash are still awaited.

This incident follows a tragic event earlier in January 2023, when a Yeti Airlines plane, carrying 68 passengers and crew, crashed in Pokhara. All 68 individuals on that flight were killed in the accident.

Update: At least 18 people were killed when a Saurya Airlines plane crashed and caught fire during takeoff from Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, today, according to the BBC. The pilot, who survived and was hospitalized, was the only survivor among the 19 people on board, which included technical staff. The aircraft was on a test flight from Kathmandu to the popular tourist destination of Pokhara. Saurya Airlines operates flights to five destinations in Nepal with its fleet of three Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft.