A passenger plane carrying 19 people has burst into flames after crashing during takeoff.
The craft was set to fly from Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, to the nearby city of Pokhara. Pokhara, the country’s second-largest city, is a major tourist gateway and a hub for trekking and adventure sports.
The crash happened at around 11am local time on Wednesday, the Kathmandu Post reports. State television in Nepal says a plane has slipped off the runway and crashed while trying to take off from Kathmandu airport.
Smoke can be seen rising from the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.
Nineteen people, including crew members, were aboard the plane, according to local media. Eighteen bodies have since been recovered.
Eyewitnesses reports say that the plane was taking off from the Southern-end of the runway and suddenly flipped with the wing tip hitting the ground.
The aircraft caught fire immediately and then plunged to a gorge on the eastern side of the runway.
Police and firefighters are still at the scene carrying out rescue opeartions, and thick billows of smoke can be seen at the airport.
Tribhuvan International Airport, the main airport in Nepal for international and domestic flights, has been closed as emergency crew worked.
It is monsoon rainy season in Kathmandu but was not raining at the time of the crash. Visibility was low across the capital, however.
Saurya Airlines operates the Bombardier CRJ 200 on domestic routes.
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Story courtesy of Mirror.Uk
