Nepal plane crash: Black box of aircraft recovered, handed over to probe team

The Pokhra-bound, Saurya Airlines Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft carrying 19 passengers and crew caught fire shortly after takeoff from Tribhuvan International Airport of Kathmandu.

By: Express Web Desk

New Delhi | July 25, 2024 09:49 PM IST

2 min read

Nepal plane crash: Black box of crashed aircraft recovered,

On Wednesday, 18 people died as a Saurya Airlines flight skid off the runway while taking off from the Tribhuvan International Airport at Kathmandu. (PTI Photo)

Nepalese authorities on Thursday, recovered the black box of Saurya Airlines aircraft from the site of the crash that claimed 18 lives on Wednesday.

Hansa Raj Pandey, deputy director general of the Civil Aviation Authority, said the box was handed over to an investigation team tasked with determining the cause of the accident. The team, led by Ratish Chandra Lal, former director general of the Civil Aviation Authority, and comprising four other experts, has 45 days to complete their probe.

The Pokhra-bound, Saurya Airlines Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft carrying 19 passengers and crew caught fire shortly after takeoff from Tribhuvan International Airport of Kathmandu. The sole survivor, the pilot, is currently hospitalised in critical condition.

The victims, including two crew members, technical staff of the airline, and a family of three, including a four-year-old boy, are being identified through post-mortem examinations, with bodies expected to be released to families on Friday.

Th pilot, Captain Manish Raj Shakya, is receiving treatment at Kathmandu Medical College. His condition remains stable, with reports indicating that he is able to speak despite being in the ICU.

According to local media, Captain Shakya survived because the cockpit was severed by a freight container moments before the rest of the aircraft ignited in flames.

(With inputs from PTI)

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