A Saurya Airlines CRJ-200ER, registered 9N-AME, crashed shortly after taking off from Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport, tragically claiming the lives of 18 people. Of the 19 occupants on board, only the captain survived. According to reports, the aircraft was carrying airlines employees on a flight scheduled between the country’s capital, Kathmandu, and Pokhara. The accident occurred at around 11:00 local time, with first responders reaching the crash site shortly after.

According to the Kathmandu Post, eyewitnesses said the aircraft suddenly flipped after taking off from the airport’s southern end, with its wing hitting the ground first. The plane, which quickly became engulfed in flames, reportedly dropped into a gorge on the runway’s eastern side.