A Saurya Airlines plane crashed while taking off from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of 18 people. Among the victims were three members of the same family: Manuraj Sharma, a flight maintenance staff member; his wife, Priza Khatiwada; and their four-year-old son, Adhiraj Sharma.
The airline reported that all passengers on board were employees of Saurya Airlines, primarily technical staff traveling for maintenance work. However, Navinraj Singh, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Energy, clarified that Priza Khatiwada was an assistant computer operator employed at the ministry. This information was confirmed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, which listed the names of the deceased family members.
The aircraft, identified as 9N-AME (CRJ 200), was en route to Pokhara Regional Airport for regular maintenance. Among the victims was co-pilot Sushant Katuwal, while the pilot, 37-year-old Manish Shakya, survived the crash and was taken to a nearby hospital in Sinamangal for treatment.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority, the crash occurred shortly after takeoff when the aircraft veered off to the right and crashed on the east side of the runway. The plane, which was carrying two crew members and 17 technicians, caught fire upon impact.
Visuals from the scene showed firefighters battling to extinguish the blaze, with thick black smoke rising into the sky. Rescue operations were swiftly initiated, with local residents and officials working together to recover the bodies and transport them to ambulances.
“The plane was scheduled to undergo maintenance for a month beginning Thursday… It is unclear why it crashed,” Mukesh Khanal, marketing head of Saurya Airlines, told news agency Reuters.
