Nepal, Kathmandu: A small plane with 19 passengers crashed during takeoff from Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital.

Operated by Saurya Airlines, the aircraft was headed to Pokhara, Nepal’s second-largest city and a renowned hub for trekking and adventure activities.

The crash occurred around 11 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as reported by The Kathmandu Post.

According to Reuters, 18 bodies have been recovered from the crash site, while the pilot survived with a head injury and has been taken to the hospital.

Premnath Thakur, spokesperson for Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, confirmed that the plane was carrying 19 people, including crew members. The Himalayan Times reported that the plane—a CRJ 200, registration 9N-AME—was transporting only technical staff and had no paying passengers on board, as stated by Gyanendra Bhul, an information officer at Tribhuvan International Airport.

Eyewitnesses described how the plane abruptly flipped during takeoff, with its wingtip hitting the ground and igniting a fire. The aircraft then crashed into a gorge on the eastern side of the runway.

The plane was reportedly en route to Pokhara for maintenance.

This incident follows a similar tragedy on January 15 of the previous year, when a Yeti Airlines ATR 72-500 crashed into a gorge while approaching Pokhara International Airport, killing all 72 people on board.

The latest crash site was found roughly 1.6 kilometers from the runway, situated at an altitude of approximately 820 meters.

An investigation revealed that the pilots' mistake of cutting power caused the January crash. This recent accident is Nepal’s deadliest aviation disaster since 1992, when a Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A300 crashed into a hillside while approaching Kathmandu, resulting in 167 fatalities.