Nepal Tragedy: Black Box Recovered from Crash Site

Nepalese authorities recovered the black box from a crashed Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft. The crash claimed 18 lives, including a child, and injured the pilot. A probe team, led by Ratish Chandra Lal, will investigate. The sole survivor, Captain Manish Raj Shakya, is undergoing treatment. Identification of the deceased is ongoing.

Nepalese authorities on Thursday recovered the black box of the aircraft that crashed here a day before and handed it over to a probe team formed to inquire into the tragic accident that killed 18 persons, including a child.

The Pokhra-bound Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft of Saurya Airlines, carrying 19 people, crashed and caught fire shortly after taking off from the Tribhuvan International Airport on Wednesday, killing 18 people aboard and seriously injuring the pilot.

Among the deceased were two crew members, technical staff of the airline, and a family of three, including a four-year-old boy. Hansa Raj Pandey, deputy director general of the Civil Aviation Authority, confirmed the black box has been handed over to a probe team for necessary action.

The probe team is led by Ratish Chandra Lal, former director general of the Civil Aviation Authority, and comprises four other experts. They are expected to submit their report within 45 days.

The dead bodies are undergoing identification post-mortem and will be handed over to families by Friday, Pandey stated.

Meanwhile, Captain Manish Raj Shakya, the sole survivor of the crash, is receiving treatment at Kathmandu Medical College, where his condition remains critical but stable. Hospital sources indicated he is able to speak despite being in ICU.

Local reports suggest Captain Shakya’s survival was due to the cockpit detaching from the rest of the aircraft, which then caught fire.

The aircraft was headed to Pokhara for regular engine maintenance when the accident occurred.