Nepal | Dramatic video shows exact moment Saurya Airlines plane crashed at airport

A dramatic video of the exact moment when the ill-fated Saurya Airlines plane carrying 18 people, crashed in Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), during take-off, has emerged on social media.

A Pokhara-bound Saurya Airlines plane crashed during take-off at TIA, killing 18 of the 19 people on board. The pilot, who seems to be the sole survivor of the crash, is currently receiving medical treatment, according to the Nepal police, said reports.

The plane was carrying two crew members and 17 technicians to Pokhara city to repair another aircraft, added repors quoting officials.

The video

Now, a dramatic video has surfaced online, which shows the precise moment the Saurya Airlines plane tilted to one side while taking off and crashed. The footage shows the plane engulfed in flames shortly after it skidded off the runway.

The TIA issued a statement that the Sourya Airlines took off from Kathmandu at 11.11 am local time to Pokhara, and turned right and crashed at a place on the east side of the runway. It is reported that the fire was brought under control and the rescue work was started immediately.

The dead bodies of 18 people were recovered and 1 injured person was rescued and taken to the hospital, said a statement from TIA.

Nepal’s military has issued an official statement which said the rescue work is on. Initially, even as a thick black smoke engulfed the area, fire fighters had arrived on the scene to put out the blaze. The rescue workers were also searching through the charred remains of the plane even as bodies from the crash site were been carried away on stretchers to ambulances.

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

Nepal's poor air safety record

Nepal's aviation sector, which has witnessed growth recently, has been criticised for “poor safety standards, inadequate training, and maintenance issues”, said reports.

Their air safety record has been poor with nearly 350 people having died in plane or helicopter crashes since 2000.

What makes the situation more complex is Nepal's challenging geography, with its high-altitude runways circled by mountainous terrain and its notoriously unpredictable weather.