KATHMANDU: On Wednesday morning, as people were heading to work after breakfast, a Saurya Air plane crashed near a residential area in Kathmandu.
The incident occurred shortly after the aircraft took off from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).
Residents in the vicinity initially thought there had been an earthquake as their houses shook violently.
It was only after stepping outside that they realized the source of the disturbance was not an earthquake but a plane crash.
The plane, which was carrying technicians and engineers from Kathmandu to Pokhara, crashed at 11:11 AM.
The crash resulted in the deaths of 18 people, including co-pilot Sushant Katuwal.
Captain Manish Ratna Shakya, who was the sole survivor, is currently receiving medical treatment.
The crash has left local residents deeply shaken and distressed.
Eyewitnesses and locals have expressed their outrage, attributing the tragedy to inadequate government mechanisms and demanding that civil aviation authorities take responsibility.
Khabarhub spoke with locals at the crash site to gather their reactions and concerns.
The fire brigade arrived late: Phuyal
The negligence of the Nepal government, particularly the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, was glaringly evident yesterday.
We faced a harrowing incident that felt like something out of a film.
It was surreal, almost as if it were staged. The general public arrived at the scene as soon as the plane crashed.
Some people started taking photos and videos. For some, it was just an accident; for the families involved, it was unimaginably painful.
They witnessed three people being dismembered before their eyes amidst the raging fire.
The flames were consuming everything. If only someone had been able to intervene, lives might have been saved.
If more personnel had been deployed or if the fence had been opened, it might have been possible to rescue those trapped. Instead, all we could do was watch the tragic scene of people burning in the fire, struggling with death.
After the fire was extinguished, some victims were found without heads.
The co-pilot, in uniform, was seen burning. If the fence had been opened earlier, perhaps the fire could have been contained more effectively.
During my time working at an airport in Turkey, I saw firsthand how critical timely response is.
Here, the fire brigade arrived 45 minutes after the fire started. By that time, the passengers were already burned, and the plane was more than half destroyed.
I was shocked by the inadequate rescue mechanism at our international airport.
The situation was far from acceptable. Even if there was no accident inside the airport, what are they considering when building an airport?
Shouldn’t there be accessible roads to all areas? The site was almost unreachable, as if it were in a remote location.
What did the staff see when the plane went down immediately after takeoff?
Although the victims were not my family, they were fellow Nepalis. This incident is deeply saddening.
To prevent such tragedies in the future, we need to arrange a more effective rescue system without delays.
There should be sufficient fire engines and better preparedness.
The fear and sleeplessness experienced by children and the elderly in the community highlight the urgent need for improvement.
Do not buy a house near the airport: Thapa
I used to sit near the airport to watch the planes. From a distance, they seemed like small dots in the sky, and I often wondered what it would be like to see one up close.
Having lived here for 13 years, I never imagined the airport could pose such a risk—until today, when it felt like being ambushed.
The airport is far more dangerous than I realized. With only two flights a week, the noise made it impossible to sleep that night.
The constant roar of the planes is unnerving. My advice: no one should buy or build houses near the airport. Watching planes can be entertaining, but the noise and danger are not worth it.
On Wednesday, while I was at work, the accident occurred. It was chaotic.
A loud explosion made us fear an earthquake. People rushed out of their homes, only to see flames and smoke at the airport.
The shaking of the houses initially led everyone to believe there had been an earthquake.
In reality, the plane had crashed at the airport and split into two pieces. The fire was immense, leaving no chance for any passengers to survive.
Settlements should not be built near the airport: Sah
How can an iron plane suddenly split in two? The aircraft’s weakness was shocking. I was so disturbed by the sight that I left immediately.
The government should never have allowed settlements to be built around the airport.
When we bought our land here, there were only a few flights, and there was no indication that living near the airport would be unsafe.
However, with more people traveling abroad and increased domestic flights, the situation has changed dramatically.
The government should have prevented construction in these areas given the current conditions. Imagine the damage if a plane had crashed directly onto a house!
What will the government’s response be if a plane crashes into homes where people are simply living their lives, not even on the aircraft?
I built my house near the airport eight years ago. On Wednesday morning, while I was cooking in the kitchen, I heard a deafening noise, like a bomb explosion.
The ground shook, and all the furniture in the house trembled as if there had been an earthquake.
When I looked outside, I saw a cloud of smoke in the sky. Locals rushed toward the accident site, and the army, police, and fire department arrived to begin the rescue operation. I even saw the pilot being ejected.
I couldn’t sleep all night: Rai
After returning from work in the morning, I was preparing to cook when I heard a humming sound.
I went outside, thinking there might be a gas leak or something similar in the neighborhood.
To my shock, the sky was completely black with smoke. I ran forward, my heart racing with fear.
The plane had split into two pieces. One section was engulfed in flames, and another was on fire as well.
There was only one fire engine on the scene, and it took a tremendous effort to extinguish the fires.
I couldn’t bear to stay and watch for long, so I went back home, unable to eat or cook.
Seeing so many people die in an instant in front of my house made it impossible to eat.
My brother didn’t eat either. No one in the house could eat or sleep that night.
The thought of those who burned in the fire kept us awake and distressed.
I feel overwhelmed with grief and am deeply troubled. Sometimes I feel so confused and emotional that I don’t want to live in this area anymore.
This part of the city, behind the airport, feels very unsafe.
The area is known for thefts and robberies, and it seems neglected compared to the airport itself.
There is minimal security here, and although I was scared, I had no choice but to stay.
The government seems indifferent to the problems of its citizens. I hoped that new leaders would address these issues, but they seem to be even worse than the old ones.
When will we have a leader who genuinely works for the rights and security of the people?
I am old now, and I hope my grandchildren will see a better future with good leadership.
The plane should not have been flown: Rai
I recently opened a grocery and snack shop here about four months ago. Kathmandu is a hub for people from all over the country, but it’s also quite a congested area.
The international airport should be situated in a more spacious or non-residential location.
I moved to Kathmandu to educate my children, and despite the challenges, I had no choice but to stay here.
We are grateful for having a place to rest, even if it is not ideal.
After the plane crash on Wednesday, many thoughts raced through my mind. The lack of an effective response mechanism in our country became painfully evident.
Why did the CAAN decide to send a plane to Pokhara for repairs? Shouldn’t a technical team be dispatched to the location of the damaged plane?
It’s essential to evaluate and fix such issues on-site, not by sending another plane.
The chief of the Authority bears significant responsibility for this oversight.
The consequences of this decision were severe. The pilot’s experience did not prevent the tragedy.
Lives were lost, leaving deep, unhealable wounds for families and relatives. Such accidents are a loss for the state as well.
On top of that, the technical team’s involvement was also compromised, adding to the tragedy.
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