Nepal (Commonwealth Union)_ In a tragic incident at Tribhuvan International Airport, a Saurya Airlines plane heading for Pokhara met with a catastrophic fate during takeoff, resulting in the loss of 18 lives. Accordingly, Saurya airlines plane crashed shortly after takeoff and caught fire. The sole survivor of the crash, Captain Manish Ratna Shakya, miraculously escaped the burning wreckage, sustaining injuries to his eyes but thankfully escaped the danger following treatment at Kathmandu Medical College Hospital. The ill-fated flight, carrying a total of 19 individuals including crew members, deviated the runway before plunging into flames at around 11 am local time. According to police reports, eighteen people were killed after the plane crash, and efforts are underway to identify and transfer the recovered bodies for post-mortem examination, which includes one foreign national among the deceased.
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Captain Shakya, the only survivor of Wednesday’s crash, an expert pilot with extensive experience in Nepal’s aviation industry, serves as both the airline’s Chief of Operations and as a dedicated pilot for Saurya Airlines. His tenure spans over nine years with the company, following previous service at Simrik Airlines. Despite the distressing circumstances, his survival stands as a testament to both his resilience and the quick response of emergency personnel. The crash site painted a traumatic scene as flames engulfed the aircraft, with thick smoke spreading into the sky. Prompt intervention from Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority and local rescue teams managed to contain the blaze, although the plane’s structure suffered severe damage, leaving only burnt pieces on the runway.
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The flight’s purpose at the time of the incident, whether for technical evaluation or routine maintenance, remains under investigation by authorities. Accordingly, Gyanendra Bhul of the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority indicated ongoing efforts to discover further details surrounding the flight’s operational context. Saurya Airlines, a domestic carrier operating a modest fleet of three Bombardier CRJ 200 aircraft, primarily services key routes within Nepal, including the popular Kathmandu-Pokhara corridor. Despite the country’s picturesque yet challenging terrain, characterized by daunting peaks and unpredictable weather patterns, Nepal’s aviation industry has faced recurring scrutiny over safety standards.
Additionally, Nepal’s aviation history has been marred by several tragic incidents, often attributed to a combination of inadequate training, maintenance challenges, and the region’s treacherous geographical features. The European Union’s ban on Nepali carriers from its airspace underscores broader international concerns regarding safety protocols within Nepal’s aviation industry. The crash at Tribhuvan International Airport marks the latest in a series of aviation disasters in Nepal, including the devastating Yeti Airlines crash near Pokhara in January 2023, claiming 72 lives, and the tragic Pakistan International Airlines crash in 1992, which resulted in the loss of 167 lives. Accordingly, these incidents highlight persistent vulnerabilities in Nepal’s air transport infrastructure, compounded by its uniquely demanding topography.
As authorities continue their investigation into the causes behind Wednesday’s catastrophe, questions regarding operational oversight and safety protocols within Nepal’s aviation industry remain at the forefront. Additionally, efforts to improve training standards, enhance weather forecasting capabilities, and bolster maintenance procedures are crucial steps towards mitigating future risks and ensuring passenger safety in Nepal’s challenging aviation environment. Furthermore, while Captain Manish Ratna Shakya’s survival offers a glimpse of hope amid tragedy, the plane crash at Nepal’s Kathmandu airport serves as a sobering reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to safeguard against such devastating incidents in the future.
