A small plane carrying 19 people has crashed during takeoff from Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu.

The flight operated by Saurya Airlines involved a small aircraft bound for Pokhara, Nepal’s second-largest city and a major tourist gateway for trekking and adventure sports.

The aircraft crashed at around 11am local time on Wednesday, according to The Kathmandu Post.

An official told Reuters that 18 bodies had been recovered from the site of the crash, while the pilot survived the incident with a head injury and has been taken to hospital.

Premnath Thakur, spokesperson for Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport, said the 19 people on board the plane included crew members. The Himalayan Times reported that the plane – a 9N-AME (CRJ 200) aircraft – was only carrying technical staff of the airline and there were no paying passengers on board, citing Gyanendra Bhul, information officer at Tribhuvan International Airport.

Eyewitnesses reported that the plane suddenly flipped during takeoff and its wing tip struck the ground, causing a fire to break out. The aircraft then crashed into a gorge on the eastern side of the runway.

The aircraft was reportedly being taken to Pokhara for maintenance.

On 15 January last year, 72 people were killed when a twin-engine ATR 72-500 aircraft operated by Yeti Airlines plunged into a gorge while approaching Pokhara International Airport in the Himalayan foothills.

The crash site was located approximately 1.6 kilometres from the runway, at an elevation of about 820 metres.