Plane crashes during takeoff in Nepal, killing at least 18
One person survived the Saurya Airlines crash, the Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement. All 19 people aboard the plane were employees of the carrier, according to police.
Images from Nepal police showed thick smoke billowing from the burning aircraft on the the airport runway.
The aircraft crashed on a runway as it was taking off from Kathmandu to Pokhara around 11 a.m. local time on Wednesday, Gyanendra Bhul, an information officer at Tribhuvan International Airport told CNN.
Bhul added that the aircraft was en route for technical maintenance purposes.
The latest crash once again highlights the dangers of air travel in Nepal, a country often referred to as one of the riskiest places to fly due to its mountainous terrain.
The Himalayan country, home to eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains, including Everest, has a record of air accidents. Its weather can change suddenly, and airstrips are typically sited in difficult-to-reach, mountainous areas.
Last year, Nepal saw its worst plane crash in more than 30 years when at least 68 people died when a Yeti Airlines flight went down near the city of Pokhara.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
The crash in Nepal serves as a reminder of the challenges in air travel within Asia, given its country's record of air accidents. Due to its mountainous terrain, Nepal, being home to eight of the world's highest mountains, faces unique aviation hazards, as demonstrated by the frequent air accidents.
