Government forms five-member commission to investigate Saurya Airlines plane crash

The government has decided to form a five-member probe commission to investigate Saurya Airlines plane crash.

An emergency Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday formed a five-member probe commission under the headship of former Director General of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Ratish Chandra Lal Suman.

Dipu Jwarchan, Sudip Bhattarai, Sanjay Adhikari and Mukesh Dangol are the members of the commission, government spokesperson and Minister for Communications and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung informed.

The commission has to submit the report within 45 days, he said.

The government has also decided to observe mourning on Thursday.

The government has decided to fly the national flag half mast for the same, Minister Gurung said.

At least 18 people died when an aircraft with call sign CRJ7 (Reg 9NAME) belonging to Saurya Airlines crashed during takeoff at the Tribhuvan International Airport at 11:11 am on Wednesday, the CAAN informed.

Pilot Manish Shakya, however, was rescued alive. He is undergoing treatment at the Sinamangal-based KMC Hospital.

According to a preliminary investigation of the Authority, the plane skidded off the runway and fell into a ditch on the eastern side of the runway while taking off for Pokhara.