Plane With 19 On Board Crashes At Kathmandu Airport, Pilot Lone Survivor

KATHMANDU, July 24: The bodies of 18 out of the 19 people on board a Kathmandu flight were recovered after the plane crashed at a Nepal airport on Wednesday, the country's civil aviation authority said.

The passengers, comprising two crew and 17 of Saurya Airlines staff, were on board the Pokhara-bound plane when it caught on fire around 11 am, said Nepali police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki.

The flight was being conducted for either technical or maintenance purposes. The pilot of the aircraft has been taken to a hospital, said a security official deployed at the airport.

The plane burst into flames after it skidded off the runway as it began to take off, said a spokesperson of the airport.

The CRJ200 plane, which can seat 50 passengers, did not gain any altitude on takeoff, slipped off the runway and fell down an embankment and caught fire. Videos from the spot show a large fire with plumes of smoke rising near the Tribhuvan International Airport.

Fire fighters and the Nepal army are at the spot. The cause of the fire is not known yet.

The Tribhuvan International Airport is a tabletop airport located on the top of a plateau surrounded by deep gorges and valleys on all sides. Its among the riskiest airports in the world.

Nepal air industry has some of the worst air safety records in the world, plagued by poor safety due to insufficient training and maintenance.

In 2023, a Yeti Airlines aircraft crashed on Pokhara killing all 72 people on board, including five Indians.

It was Nepal's deadliest crash since 1992, when all 167 people aboard a Pakistan International Airlines plane died when it crashed on approach to Kathmandu airport.

Indian-Origin Woman, 24, Dies On Qantas Flight From Melbourne To New Delhi

MELBOURNE, July 1: An Indian-origin woman, who was on her way to visit family in India for the first time in four years, died on a Qantas flight just before takeoff in Australia.

The incident happened on June 20 when 24-year-old Manpreet Kaur boarded the aircraft ready to fly from Melbourne to Delhi, news.com.au reported. However, Ms Kaur suffered a medical episode soon after boarding the plane at Tullamarine Airport.

According to a friend, the 24-year-old student reportedly "felt unwell" hours before arriving at the airport but managed to board the flight without any issues. But when she went to put on her seatbelt, Ms Kaur fell to the floor and "died on the spot."

"When she got on the plane, she was struggling to put her seatbelt on. Just before her flight started, she fell in front of her seat and died on the spot," her friend Gurdip Grewal told the Herald Sun.

A Qantas spokesman said flight crew and emergency services had attempted to provide medical assistance. It is understood that she likely died of tuberculosis.

Her roommate said Ms Kaur worked at Australia Post and wanted to become a chef. The woman's friend Grewal launched a GoFundMe in a bid to raise money for her family.

"Hi, my name is Gurdip Grewal and I'm fundraising for Manpreet Kaur. She was a student from my village and going home. She died in a plane during take-off at Melbourne Airport.

Our dear friend Manpreet left us too soon, leaving a void in our lives that can never be filled. As we grieve her passing, we want to come together to honour her memory and support her family in their time of need. As we say our final goodbyes, every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to our goal. Your support means the world to us and Manpreet's family," he wrote.

Victoria Police are preparing a report for the coroner. A Qantas spokesperson told news.com.au that their “thoughts are with her family and loved ones”.

Over 25 Injured Due To 'Strong Turbulance' On Air Europa Flight: Report

NATAL, July 1: An Air Europa Boeing plane made an emergency landing in Brazil Monday after several people were injured by "strong turbulence" on a flight from Madrid to Montevideo, the airline said.

The 787-9 Dreamliner was diverted to the airport of Natal in northeastern Brazil on its way to the Uruguayan capital, the Spanish company said on X, adding that passengers who suffered injuries "are receiving attention."

Uruguay's foreign ministry said in a statement that passengers in need of medical attention were taken to the Monsenhor Walfredo Gurgel hospital in Natal. Several have already been discharged.

A Uruguayan diplomatic source said "between 25 and 30" people were injured, but the number was not final.

Most suffered "mild trauma" and "at first sight, no one's life is at risk," said the source.

Air Europa said a plane will leave from Madrid later Monday to pick up the passengers in Natal and continue the journey to Uruguay.

In May, a 73-year-old British man died and several other passengers and crew suffered skull, brain and spine injuries when a Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 hit severe turbulence on a flight from London and was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok.

Air safety experts say passengers are often too casual about wearing seatbelts, leaving them at risk if the plane hits unexpected turbulence.

Scientists also say that so-called clear air turbulence, which is invisible to radar, is getting worse because of climate change.

A 2023 study found the annual duration of clear air turbulence increased by 17 percent from 1979 to 2020, with the most severe cases increasing by more than 50 percent.

Monday's incident was the latest drama involving a Boeing plane, after a fuselage panel blew out of an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX in January as well as two crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people in total.

In March, the US aviation giant announced the departure of CEO Dave Calhoun as it faced intense scrutiny on safety and manufacturing standards.

The company announced earlier Monday it had reached a deal to buy its subcontractor Spirit in a move it said would boost safety and quality control.

Boeing this week also faces a key turning point with the Department of Justice, which concluded in May the company could be prosecuted for violating a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement reached following the two fatal 737 MAX crashes.

A lawyer for the victims' families said Sunday that the DOJ was offering Boeing a plea deal that would allow it to avoid a trial.

Victims' families have called for the criminal prosecution of Boeing and its executives, and are seeking a nearly $25 billion fine.

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