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18 killed, pilot rescued after Nepal plane crash

The plane burst into flames after it skidded off the runway
The plane burst into flames after it skidded off the runway

Eighteen people were killed after a small plane caught fire after skidding off the runway while taking off from Nepal's capital Kathmandu, media and officials have said.

A police spokesperson said the pilot had survived the crash.

The plane was carrying two crew members and 17 technicians to Pokhara city for maintenance checks.

The plane belonged to local Saurya Airlines, media said.

Soldiers and emergency personnel are seen at the site of the crash

Saurya operates domestic flights in Nepal with two Bombardier CRJ-200 regional jets, both around 20 years old, according to Flight Radar 24.

Nepal has been criticised for its poor air safety record, with the deadliest incident occurring in 1992, when a Pakistan International Airlines Airbus crashed into a hillside while approaching Kathmandu, killing 167 people.

Most recently, at least 72 people were killed in a Yeti airlines crash in January 2023 that was later attributed to the pilots mistakenly cutting off power.