By EFE
24 Jul 2024, 17:13 PM EDT
KATHMANDU – The pilot of the plane that crashed on Wednesday in Nepal while taking off from Kathmandu International Airport is the only survivor of the accident, airport authorities informed local media, which reported the deaths of the other eighteen people who were traveling on board the aircraft.
The pilot is currently being taken to hospital, airport spokesman Subash Jha said in statements reported by Nepalese media outlet The Kathmandu Post, which reported the deaths of the other occupants.
The accident occurred when the plane, belonging to Nepalese airline Saurya Airlines, went off the runway during takeoff, the spokesman had previously informed EFE.
The plane was already in the air when it quickly tilted to one side and fell back onto the runway, according to images from airport security cameras broadcast by Nepalese media.
Videos posted by local television Kantipur TV show the aircraft completely destroyed, with part of its fuselage burned, near the airport, and surrounded by dozens of rescue workers.
The cause of the accident is not yet known. Authorities have not provided details on the identity of the victims.
The plane was heading toward the city of Pokhara, a popular gateway to the Himalayas and a popular air route for foreign tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of the world’s highest mountain range.
Nepal, where air accidents frequently occur due to the poor condition of aircraft and airport infrastructure, rapidly changing weather and adverse topography, has been the subject of repeated international sanctions for the lack of controls.
The European Union (EU) has banned Nepalese airlines from entering its territory since 2013.
The worst air accident in recent years in Nepal occurred in January 2023, when a Yeti Airlines flight crashed with 72 passengers and no survivors, an accident attributed by authorities to human error.
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