Nepal tragedy explained: How pilot miraculously survived horrific plane crash that killed 18 others onboard

A heavy sense of grief has engulfed Nepal following a tragic plane crash at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, which claimed the lives of 18 out of 19 people aboard. The sole survivor of the crash is Captain Manish Ratna Shakya, the pilot of the ill-fated Saurya Airlines flight.

This incident, which highlights the Himalayan nation's ongoing issues with aviation safety, underscores a troubling history: Nepal has witnessed over 350 fatalities in 19 air crashes since 2000. The crash has raised questions and concerns, particularly among the families of the victims, about how the pilot survived when everyone else perished.

Who is the pilot of Saurya Airlines plane that crashed in Kathmandu?

Following the crash, the pilot, who is the only survivor, has been identified as Manish Ratna Shakya. According to Saurya Airlines' official website, Shakya serves as the airline's Chief of Operations.

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The 37-year-old pilot, as noted on his LinkedIn profile, joined Saurya Airlines in December 2014 and has been with the company for over nine and a half years. He previously worked with Simrik Airlines for nearly three years.

How did Captain MR Shakya survive the crash?

The crash occurred on Wednesday when a Saurya Airlines CRJ200 aircraft, carrying 19 individuals including two crew members and 17 technicians, took off from Tribhuvan International Airport around 11:15 am. The plane was en route to Pokhara for maintenance checks.

Minutes after takeoff, the aircraft veered right and crashed on the east side of the runway, according to a statement from the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority’s search and rescue coordination center. Footage from the crash site depicted thick smoke rising from the burning wreckage on the runway.

While 18 of the 19 people aboard the plane perished in the crash, Captain Manish Ratna Shakya survived against all odds. Rescuers on the scene reported that they reached Shakya just as flames were approaching the cockpit.

Senior Superintendent of Nepal Police, Dambar Bishwakarma, told the BBC, “He was facing difficulty to breathe as the air shield was open. We broke the window and immediately pulled him out."

“He had blood all over his face when he was rescued but we took him to the hospital in a condition where he could speak,” he added.

Officials reported that the plane veered sharply to the right shortly after takeoff and crashed on the east side of the runway. Video footage from the scene shows the aircraft engulfed in flames, skidding across the airport before part of it appears to tumble into a valley at the edge of the site.

Nepal’s Civil Aviation Minister, Badri Pandey, later explained, “The aircraft hit a container on the edge of the airport… then, it fell further below. The cockpit, however, remained stuck inside the container. This is how the captain survived.”

“The other part of the plane crashed into a nearby mound and it tore into pieces. The entire area away from the region where the cockpit fell down caught fire and everything was burnt,” Pandey said.

Captain Shakya was transported to Kathmandu Medical College, where doctors identified injuries to his eyes, head, and face.

Later that evening, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli visited the medical facility to check on Captain Shakya’s condition. According to The Himalayan Times, he met with the doctors treating Shakya and spoke with his family.

What happens next?

An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash. The head of Tribhuvan International Airport indicated that initial reports suggest the plane flew in the wrong direction.

Additionally, the post-mortem and identification of the 18 victims are underway at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj. The Kathmandu Post has reported that the hospital may perform ‘cosmetic surgery’ on some of the bodies, which were severely burned and are difficult to identify.

Also read: 'How come only pilot survived?': Outcry erupts over tragic Nepal plane crash, calls for investigation grows

Grieving family members have voiced concerns about both the airline and the civil aviation authority. Dirga Bahadur Khadka, the grand uncle of co-pilot Sushant Katwal, told The Kathmandu Post, “We suspect that the company put pressure on the pilots into flying the plane. Otherwise, no one would like to fly a plane with technical problems.”

He also questioned the role of the civil aviation authority, stating, “A question also arises about the civil aviation authority, the aviation sector regulator. How could it allow planes with technical problems to fly?”