Kathmandu: The Pilot of the Saurya Airline plane that crashed at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu is the lone survivor of the crash according to an update from the Tribhuvan International Airport.
The airport authorities confirmed that 18 deceased individuals were recovered from the crash site, with only one survivor. The statement from TIA detailed the incident involving the CRJ7 aircraft (Reg-9NAME) of Saurya Airlines, which departed from Kathmandu at 11:11 am local time en route to Pokhara. The aircraft reportedly veered right after takeoff and crashed on the east side of the runway. Firefighters quickly brought the fire under control, and rescue operations commenced immediately.
Earlier reports from Nepal Police indicated 15 fatalities at the crash site, all of whom were Saurya Airlines staff members. The flight was transporting technical personnel to Pokhara for maintenance purposes.
The pilot, identified as 37-year-old Manish Shakya, was rescued from the wreckage and transported to KMC Hospital in Sinamangal for treatment.
The aircraft, registration 9N-AME (CRJ 200), was carrying only airline technical staff at the time of the incident, with no passengers onboard. Gyanendra Bhul, information officer at TIA, confirmed the presence of technical staff aboard the flight.
The crash occurred shortly after takeoff at approximately 11:00 AM local time today, resulting in visible smoke emanating from the site. Emergency responders, including firefighters, Nepal Police, and the Nepali Army, are actively engaged in managing the situation.
Following the incident, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) has been temporarily closed, affecting numerous flights. Both domestic and international operations have been halted or redirected to other airports. The airport closure will remain in effect until the conclusion of the ongoing rescue operations, as reported by The Himalayan Times.
