THIS is the horrifying moment a plane crashes in Nepal and bursts into flames – leaving at least 18 people dead.
The passenger jet reportedly skidded off the runway before footage captured it plunging towards the ground and killing everyone on board but the pilot.
12
12
12
12
Heart-stopping CCTV footage shows the plane cascading towards a gorge in Kathmandu just moments after it took off from the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).
The Saurya Airline jet collides with the ground at high speed as plumes of smoke are thrown up into the sky.
Seconds later the plane is seen erupting into a fireball as it skids along the eastern side of the runway.
Thick, black plumes of smoke then come billowing from the plane as it grinds to a halt with the flames continuing to sear the jet.
read more in air disasters
The plane was heading from Kathmandu to the resort town of Pokhara when it crashed on Wednesday morning, say Nepal Television.
Tragically, 18 people have been reported as dead with only one other miraculously surviving the death plunge, officials say.
Most of the 19 people onboard were airline employees, they added.
The survivor, Captain MR Shakya, has been rushed to the Kathmandu Medical College Hospital, says TIA spokesperson Subash Jha.
He injured his eye in the crash but his injuries are not life-threatening.
The second pilot was found dead, say reports.
Out of the 17 passengers on board, 16 were from Nepal with only one female passenger.
The recovered bodies have been taken to the T.U. Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu for an autopsy.
Pictures show the remains of the small plane burnt out surrounded by the military, firefighters and shocked witnesses.
Onlookers were seen scrambling across a field where the plane was left to help search for any survivors.
Investigations into what caused the plane to crash onto the runway are ongoing.
12
12
12
Initial reports point towards the flight suffering a runway excursion on takeoff, Jha announced.
The airport has been closed as emergency services and the Nepalese military help to clear the plane after the flames were put out.
Saurya Airlines typically use the Bombardier CRJ 200 on all domestic routes.
It comes as the European Union has banned all Nepalese carriers from flying over its airspace over recent safety concerns.
The country suffers from a poor safety record due to a lack of training for pilots and dwindling maintenance.
The weather and rocky terrain can also cause havoc for even the most experienced pilots.
At least 12 fatal jet crashes have been recorded in the Himalayan region since 2010.
Nepal’s largest crash in recent years came in January 2023 when 69 passengers and crew were killed in a horror accident.
The Yeti Airlines service crashed while landing at Pokhara with a harrowing video showing passengers on board just moments before the crash.
12
12
12
12
Discussion about this post