At least 18 people were killed when a small plane skidded off the runway in Nepal’s capital on Wednesday, according to local officials.
The Civil Aviation Authority reported that one person survived the Saurya Airlines crash. All those on board – 18 Nepalis and a Yemeni citizen – were employees of the airline, police stated.
Images from the Nepal police depicted thick smoke billowing from the burning aircraft on the airport runway.
The aircraft crashed during takeoff from Kathmandu en route to Pokhara around 11 a.m. local time, according to Gyanendra Bhul, an information officer at Tribhuvan International Airport, who spoke to CNN.
Bhul added that the plane was on its way for technical maintenance.
Read more: At least 18 dead in Nepal plane crash
“Rescue efforts were initiated immediately, and the situation was brought under control,” stated the aviation authority.
This incident once again underscores the dangers of air travel in Nepal, often considered one of the most hazardous places to fly due to its mountainous terrain and other challenging factors.
