14 dead in Nepal after plane crashes during takeoff

At least 14 people were killed after a plane crashed during launch in Nepal’s money of Kathmandu on Wednesday, say officials.

Some 19 people were on the Saurya Airlines trip which was headed to Pokhara, a famous tourism destination.

On board the plane, which was on a test flight, were 17 Saurya Airline technical team members and two staff members.

There are concerns that the death toll may fall further as a search function is already underway.

The helicopter was encircled in fire and smoke, according to movies that were posted online.

Following the incident, fire vehicles and paramedics were rushed to the location.

A captain was receiving treatment for wounds, according to Nepali police spokeswoman Dan Bahadur Karki, who confirmed the incidents to BBC Nepali.

Nepal has been criticised for its poor air safety record. In January 2023, at least 72 people were killed in a Yeti Airlines crash that was later attributed to its pilots mistakenly cutting the power.

Saruya Airlines operates flights to five destinations within Nepal, with a fleet of three Bombardier CRJ-200 jets, according to the company’s website.