At least five people have died as a Saurya Airlines flight skid off the runway while taking off from the Tribhuvan International Airport on Wednesday morning.

The incident occurred at approximately 11 am as the flight was departing for Pokhara, according to news agency PTI.

Sources said that the plane caught fire upon impact, but the blaze was quickly extinguished by emergency responders. The pilot was transported to a nearby hospital, PTI reported. No further details regarding the pilot's condition have been released.