A Saurya Airlines plane crashed and caught fire after taking off from Kathmandu, Nepal, on Jul. 24, 2024, the BBC reported.

Out of the 19 people aboard the flight, 18 were killed, and only the pilot survived. The pilot is currently receiving treatment in hospital.

The plane was undertaking a test flight.

17 of those aboard were staff members of Saurya Airlines, and two were crew, The Hindustan Times reported.

The test flight was headed to Pokhara, a lakeside town and popular tourist destination.

The incident happened at around 11:15am (Nepal time), a few minutes after the plane took off from the Tribhuvan International Airport, BBC said.

A video posted to Facebook appears to show the plane taking off, before crashing.

The following image may be graphic for some readers:

Plane turned right and crashed

BBC reported a statement from the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority's search and rescue coordination centre, which said the plane "turned right and crashed on the east side of the runway".

The statement added that the fire was brought under control, and rescue work commenced immediately.

Pictures posted to Facebook by the Nepali Army show the wreckage, with the plane appearing to have burnt up:

Another photo shows the wreckage being doused by water:

The bodies of the 18 people who died were collected, with the pilot rescued and taken to the hospital.

17 of the deceased are Nepali nationals, with one a Yemeni.

BBC quoted an airport official saying that "some cracking noises were heard" from the plane.

Not the first time

According to the BBC, Nepal has been criticised for its poor air safety record.

Back in January 2023, a Yeti Airlines flight crashed just before landing in Pokhara, killing 72 people.

The crash was caused by pilots mistakenly cutting power leading to an aerodynamic stall, Reuters said.

Top photo from Nepali Army/Facebook.