A passenger plane crashed on take-off in Kathmandu on Wednesday, killing 18 of the 19 people aboard, with the pilot miraculously rescued from the wreckage, according to Nepal police.

Nepal’s aviation safety record has been fraught with deadly incidents, and this latest crash adds to the country’s grim history. The Saurya Airlines flight, carrying two crew members and 17 staff, veered off the runway and burst into flames shortly after take-off. Police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki confirmed the pilot’s rescue, stating, “The pilot has been rescued and is being treated. Eighteen bodies have been recovered, including one foreigner.”

The Civil Aviation Authority identified the foreign victim as a Yemeni citizen. The airport’s press release detailed how the aircraft “drifted off to the right and crashed on the east side of the runway” shortly after liftoff. The sole survivor remains in major condition at a medical facility.

Eyewitness Ram Kumar K.C., who runs a nearby tire store, described the after-effects: “The plane caught fire after striking the ground. We were about to run to the site but then there was an explosion so we ran away again.”

Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority indicated the flight was for technical or maintenance purposes. Images from the crash site showed the plane’s fuselage split apart and charred, with soldiers inspecting the wreckage. Grieving relatives gathered at a nearby hospital where the bodies were transported.

“I am sad,” stated Rajan Acharya, whose sibling, a safety officer, was amongst the victims. “He was my brother, however even more than that, we were best friends.”

The ill-fated flight was scheduled to operate on the busy route between Kathmandu and Pokhara, a key tourism hub. Saurya Airlines operates exclusively Bombardier CRJ 200 jets, according to its website.