Captain Shakya, lone survivor of Nepal crash moved to general ward from ICU: Report

Kathmandu: Captain Manish Raj Shakya, the lone survivor of a deadly plane crash in Nepal that killed 18 other people on board, was shifted to a general ward from the intensive care unit following improvement in his health condition, a media report said on Friday.

The Pokhara-bound Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft of Saurya Airlines, carrying 19 people, including two crew members, technical staff of the airline, and a child and his mother, caught fire shortly after taking off from the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) here on Wednesday.

Of the deceased, 15 died on the spot, while three died during treatment at a local hospital, authorities said.

Captain Shakya, 37, was rescued from the crash site. He was saved after the cockpit of the aircraft was sheared off by a freight container seconds before the rest of the plane went up in flames.

The Kathmandu Medical College (KMC), where Captain Shakya was being treated in the ICU for observation, said his condition is now stable and improving, The Kathmandu Post newspaper reported.

He has now been moved to a general ward following improvement in his health condition, the report quoted Professor Dr Meena Thapa, Director of KMC, as saying.

Shakya is being monitored by neurology and orthopaedic specialists, Thapa said.

“He has injuries to his face, eyes, nose, and head. Additionally, one of his spinal bones and three ribs on the left side are fractured,” she said.

“A decision has not yet been made regarding whether to perform a surgery,” the report quoted her as saying.

According to KMC sources, Captain Shakya sustained several internal injuries despite not being burnt in the fire.

In response to the aviation tragedy, a five-member probe commission has been formed to investigate the incident. The commission will be led by Ratish Chandra Lal Suman, former Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).

The commission is tasked with delivering its report and recommendations within 45 days to prevent similar accidents in the future.

On Wednesday, family members and friends of the victims gathered at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), where the postmortem of the deceased was taking place, with some of them alleging that the airlines and civil aviation authority permitted the flight despite knowing that the plane had technical problems.

Meanwhile, Saurya Airlines on Friday committed it would provide as much support as possible to the victims’ kin.

“We assure the victims’ families that we will provide all possible support and assistance,” the report said, citing a statement by Saurya Airlines Chairman Dipak Kumar Pokharel.

According to Nepal’s civil aviation body, it is the 105th plane crash in Nepali skies since the first disaster in August 1955, the report said.