At least 18 people were killed when a plane crashed and caught fire while taking off from Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, on Wednesday.
The pilot, who is currently receiving treatment in hospital, was the only survivor of the fatal crash.
A total of 19 people were involved in the test flight of Shaoya Airlines, including the airline’s technical staff and two crew members.
The plane was bound for Pokhara, a popular tourist destination.
Video posted online showed the plane surrounded by flames and smoke. After the incident, fire engines and ambulances rushed to the scene.
The incident occurred at around 11:15 local time (05:30 GMT).
Nepal police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki confirmed the death to BBC Nepal.
An airport official said “some cracking sounds were heard” on the plane.
Nepal has been criticized for its poor aviation safety record. In January 2023, a Yeti Airlines crash killed at least 72 people It was later attributed to the pilot mistakenly cutting the power supply.
Saruya Airlines operates flights to five destinations in Nepal with a fleet of three Bombardier CRJ-200 jets. According to the company’s website.
