Eighteen people have lost their lives when a plane crashed and burst into flames during takeoff from Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, on Wednesday. The pilot, who is currently hospitalized, is the sole survivor of this tragic accident. The flight, operated by Saurya Airlines, had 19 people on board, including technical staff and two crew members.

The flight was headed to Pokhara for a routine maintenance check. According to airport chief Jagannath Niraula, the accident happened almost immediately after takeoff, though the exact cause remains unconfirmed. Preliminary assessments suggested that the plane veered in the wrong direction after takeoff. "It turned right when it should have turned left," Mr. Niraula explained to BBC Nepali. The crash occurred around 11:15 a.m. local time

#Kathmandu | Video shows out-of-control #Nepal plane slamming into ground, 18 dead.

Read here: https://t.co/EmMHvdNHho pic.twitter.com/WJFwueT5u8

— NDTV (@ndtv) July 24, 2024

Footage captured the plane tilting above the runway before crashing and erupting into flames. Rescue workers were seen navigating through the wreckage, with large sections of the aircraft charred and blackened. Some photos also showed parts of the plane inside an air freight container. Emergency services, including fire engines and ambulances, quickly responded to the scene.

Among the deceased, 17 were Nepali, and one was a Yemeni national working as an engineer. Police spokesperson Dan Bahadur Karki informed BBC Nepali that the pilot suffered injuries to his eyes and forehead but is not in life-threatening danger.

Nepal has been criticized for its air safety issues. In January 2023, a Yeti Airlines crash resulted in the deaths of at least 72 people due to pilot error, marking the deadliest air disaster in Nepal since 1992 when a Pakistan International Airlines plane crashed, killing all 167 aboard. Two other notable crashes include the Tara Air Crash in May 2022 and the Nepal Airlines crash of 2014.

Saurya Airlines operates flights to five destinations within Nepal, utilizing a fleet of three Bombardier CRJ-200 jets.