A harrowing new video has surfaced showing the final moments of the Bombardier CRJ 200 jet crash at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport in Nepal, which occurred at 11:15 am local time. The footage captures the plane’s last seconds in the air, revealing it was out of control just a few hundred feet above the ground. The Saurya Airlines flight, en route to the tourist destination of Pokhara, is seen tilting right before jerking left and plummeting to the ground, resulting in a fiery explosion.
The crash resulted in 18 fatalities out of the 19 people on board, which included two crew members and 17 passengers. The sole survivor is the pilot, who has been taken to a local hospital, according to a security official at the airport. The cause of the crash remains unknown at this time.
Earlier in the day, another disturbing video captured by a CCTV camera at the airport showed the moment the plane impacted the ground. The 18-second clip depicts the aircraft slamming into the runway, skidding along the surface, and then erupting into flames.
Nepal: The death toll in plane crash at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu stands at 18, including the Co-Pilot. pic.twitter.com/iB21mf6qA6
— ANI (@ANI) July 24, 2024
Also read: Tragedy Strikes In South Atlantic: 8 Dead, 14 Rescued
Nepal’s aviation industry has experienced rapid growth recently, but this expansion has been accompanied by safety concerns. Poor safety standards, insufficient training, and maintenance issues have plagued the sector, leading to a ban on Nepali carriers entering European Union airspace. Additionally, Nepal’s challenging terrain—with high-altitude runways surrounded by mountainous regions—and unpredictable weather add to the difficulties faced by even the most seasoned pilots.
In January of the previous year, a Yeti Airlines plane crashed while landing in Pokhara, killing all 72 people on board. This incident was Nepal’s deadliest plane crash since 1992, when a Pakistani jet crashed in Kathmandu, resulting in 167 fatalities. The same year, a Thai Airways flight also crashed, killing 113.
The recent crash has highlighted concerns about tabletop runways, which are present in several Indian airports. These runways, located on elevated terrain with steep drops on one or more sides, leave little room for error if a plane overshoots. India has five airports with tabletop runways: Shimla, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Lengpui (in Mizoram), and Pakyong (in Sikkim). Notably, Kozhikode and Mangaluru have experienced significant accidents in the past.
