18 Killed in Nepal Plane Crash: Pilot Miraculously Survives After Cockpit Sheild Delay!

Nepal plane crash leaves 18 dead, with the pilot the only survivor. Cause under investigation as questions arise about safety measures.

CONTENTS: 18 Killed in Nepal Plane Crash

Nepal is enveloped in sorrow following a plane crash at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport, which claimed the lives of 18 out of 19 individuals on board. The sole survivor is the pilot, Captain Manish Ratna Shakya. The incident, involving Saurya Airlines, highlights the ongoing concerns about aviation safety in the Himalayan nation, which has seen over 350 fatalities in 19 crashes since 2000.

The crash has left many, including the families of the victims, questioning how the pilot survived while everyone else perished.

18 Killed in Nepal Plane Crash: The sole survivor of the crash has been identified as Manish Ratna Shakya, who is the chief of operations at Saurya Airlines, according to the airline’s official website. Shakya, 37, joined Saurya Airlines in December 2014 and has been with the company for over nine years. Prior to that, he spent nearly three years flying with Simrik Airlines.

On Wednesday, a Saurya Airlines CRJ200 aircraft took off from Tribhuvan International Airport around 11:15 a.m. with 19 people onboard, including two crew members and 17 technicians heading to Pokhara for maintenance work. Shortly after takeoff, the plane veered right and crashed on the east side of the runway, according to a statement from Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority’s search and rescue coordination center. Footage from the crash site revealed thick smoke pouring from the burning aircraft on the runway.

Tragically, 18 of those aboard lost their lives, but the pilot survived against the odds. Rescuers reached Captain Shakya just as flames were approaching the cockpit.

18 Killed in Nepal Plane Crash: Senior Superintendent of Nepal Police, Dambar Bishwakarma, told the BBC that Captain Shakya was struggling to breathe due to the open air shield. Rescuers broke the window to pull him out. Despite having blood on his face at the time of rescue, Shakya was able to speak when he was taken to the hospital.

Officials reported that the plane veered abruptly to the right during takeoff and crashed on the east side of the runway. Video footage from the scene showed the aircraft in flames, moving across part of the airport before some of it fell into a valley at the edge of the site. Civil Aviation Minister Badri Pandey explained that the plane struck a container on the airport’s edge and then fell further down. The cockpit remained lodged inside the container, which contributed to the captain’s survival.

The rest of the plane crashed into a mound, disintegrating and catching fire. Pandey noted that the area away from where the cockpit fell was completely consumed by flames. Captain Shakya was eventually transported to Kathmandu Medical College, where doctors reported injuries to his eyes, head, and face.

Later on Wednesday evening, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli visited Kathmandu Medical College to check on Captain Shakya’s condition. According to The Himalayan Times, he also spoke with the doctors treating Shakya and met with his family members.

18 Killed in Nepal Plane Crash: An investigation into the crash has commenced to determine its cause. The head of Tribhuvan International Airport indicated that initial reports suggested the plane may have flown in the wrong direction.

The post-mortem and identification of the 18 victims are underway at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj. The Kathmandu Post has reported that the hospital may perform ‘cosmetic surgery’ on some of the bodies, as they are severely burned and beyond recognition.

Family members of the victims are questioning both the airline and the civil aviation authority. Dirga Bahadur Khadka, a grand uncle of co-pilot Sushant Katwal, told The Kathmandu Post, “We suspect the company pressured the pilots into flying despite technical issues. No one would willingly fly a plane with known problems.” He also raised concerns about the civil aviation authority, asking, “How could it permit planes with technical issues to operate?”