The plane veered off the runway, crashed and caught fire. Many people died

There were 19 people on board the small plane – two crew members and 17 technicians. The plane was to fly from Kathmandu to the city of Pokhara for a technical inspection.

During takeoff, the plane veered off the runway and crashed. A fire broke out. Authorities said at least 18 people died in the crash. The cause of the accident has not yet been announced.

The plane belonged to the local airline Saurya Airlines, which operates domestic flights. The company has two planes – about twenty-year-old Bombardier CRJ-200s.