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In a tragic accident in Nepal on Wednesday, a Saurya Airlines CRJ-200 plane crashed during takeoff at Kathmandu-Tribhuvan International Airport, resulting in 18 deaths out of the 19 people on board; the aircraft was observed in a hard bank at a very low altitude before crashing beside the runway and bursting into flames.
The Saurya Airlines plane, a Bombardier CRJ-200 plane (9N-AME), en route to Pokhara, experienced a fiery disaster shortly after its departure at approximately 11:15 am local time (05:30 GMT) of 24 July 2024.
The plane, carrying two crew members and 17 technicians, was going for regular maintenance to Nepal's new Pokhara airport, which opened in January and is equipped with aircraft maintenance hangars.
"Shortly after takeoff ... the aircraft veered off to the right and crashed on the east side of the runway," the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal said in a statement.
“Rescue work is ongoing,” the military statement confirmed, noting that the army’s quick response team was assisting in the efforts. The Kathmandu Post reported that the plane had skidded off the runway and caught fire, releasing a significant plume of smoke.
Kathmandu airport’s general manager, Jagannath Niroula, indicated that further details about the incident were still being confirmed. The aircraft, a Bombardier CRJ 200 jet, was exclusively operated by Saurya Airlines, as noted on the airline’s website.
Nepal’s aviation sector has seen growth in recent years, facilitating travel between remote areas and attracting international tourists. However, it has struggled with safety issues, including inadequate training and maintenance. The European Union has imposed a ban on Nepali carriers within its airspace due to these concerns.
Nepal’s challenging geography, characterized by very difficult mountainous terrain and unpredictable weather, adds to the difficulties of flying in the region. The country is known for having some of the world’s most challenging runways, which pose significant risks even for experienced pilots.
This tragic accident follows a tragic crash in January 2023, when a Yeti Airlines ATR72 aircraft crashed while landing in Pokhara, killing all 72 passengers and crew.
Yeti Airlines Flight 691 was the deadliest aviation accident in Nepal since 1992, when a Pakistan International Airlines plane crashed near Kathmandu, claiming 167 lives. Earlier that year, a Thai Airways aircraft also crashed near the same airport, resulting in 113 fatalities.
Fire crews continue to work at the scene as investigations into the cause of the crash. The government has formed a five-member inquiry commission to probe the Saurya Airlines crash at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) on Wednesday morning.
Since year 2000, related to air accident, around 360 people have been killed in Nepal, that boasts of having eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains, in at least 19 air crashes. Today’s crash at Kathmandu’s TIA has added to the long list.
In the year 2019, Nepal’s civil aviation authority (CAAN) released a safety report where it admitted that the country’s “diversity of weather patterns together with hostile topography are the main challenges surrounding aircraft operations in Nepal due to which the number of accidents related to small aircraft… seems comparatively higher”.
Pilots, in multiple occasion, have raised concerns saying that the smaller aircraft used in the region aren’t equipped with the technology to detect the unpredictable conditions, making flying an even riskier proposition.
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