Nepal's Saurya Airlines Plane Crash: 18 Dead, One Survivor

A Saurya Airlines passenger plane crashed in Kathmandu, Nepal, killing 18 people, with only the captain surviving. The CRJ-200 aircraft was heading for maintenance in Pokhara. The accident highlights Nepal's poor air safety record. An investigative panel has been formed to probe the incident.

A Saurya Airlines passenger plane crashed and caught fire while taking off from Kathmandu, Nepal, killing 18 people on board and leaving the captain as the sole survivor, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

"Only the captain was rescued alive and is currently receiving treatment at a hospital," said Tej Bahadur Poudyal, a spokesman for Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport. The 50-seater CRJ-200, carrying two crew members and 17 technicians, was en route to Pokhara for routine maintenance, officials added.

Eighteen of the victims were Nepali citizens along with one Yemeni engineer. "Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft veered right and crashed on the east side of the runway," stated the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.

(With inputs from agencies.)