At least 14 people were killed after a plane crashed during takeoff in Nepal's capital of Kathmandu on Wednesday, say officials. Some 19 people were on the Saurya Airlines flight which was headed to Pokhara, a popular tourism destination.
There were 17 Saurya Airline technical staff and two crew members on board the plane, which was on a test flight. A search operation is currently ongoing and there are fears the death toll could rise further.
Videos posted online showed the plane being enveloped in fire and smoke.
Fire engines and ambulances were rushed to the spot after the incident. Nepali police spokesperson Dan Bahadur Karki confirmed the deaths to BBC Nepali, adding that a pilot was being treated for injuries.
Nepal has been criticised for its poor air safety record. In January 2023, at least 72 people were killed in a Yeti Airlines crash that was later attributed to its pilots mistakenly cutting the power. Saruya Airlines operates flights to five destinations within Nepal, with a fleet of three Bombardier CRJ-200 jets, according to the company’s website.
— CutC by bbc.com
