Police report 18 fatalities in Nepal plane crash
The machine of Sarya Airlines crashed on Wednesday morning at 11.15 am local time (7.30 am MEZ), the Nepalese military announced. The flight was either being conducted for technical or maintenance purposes, Gyanendra Bhul of the Nepalese Civil Aviation Authority told AFP. Neither Bhul nor the police spokesperson could say which nationality the foreigner who died in the accident had.
The aircraft was supposed to fly to Pokhara, an important tourist center in the Himalayan state. The news portal "Khabarhub" reported that the plane had gone into a skid on the runway and then caught fire. Pictures from the army at the crash site showed that the plane's body was broken apart and only the frame remained.
The aviation industry in Nepal has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. However, due to inadequate training and maintenance, safety is inadequate. The European Union has banned all airlines in Nepal due to safety concerns from operating in the EU. Therefore, no planes from the Himalayan country are allowed to take off or land in Europe.
Moreover, Nepal has some of the most challenging runways in the world, which even experienced pilots find challenging. In addition, the weather in the mountainous country is very unpredictable and creates turbulent flight conditions.
The last major aircraft accident occurred in January 2023, when a Yeti Airlines plane crashed during landing in Pokhara. All 72 people on board died. The most recent incident with 167 fatalities occurred in 1992, when a Pakistan International Airlines plane crashed on approach to Kathmandu's airport.
The Nepalese military identified the crashed aircraft as belonging to Sarya Airlines. The incident occurred eighteen years after the 1992 plane crash in Kathmandu, which claimed 167 lives. The police are collecting bags from the wreckage to identify any personal belongings, as part of their investigation into the Aircraft crash in Pokhara. The Nepal Military was called to assist in the rescue and evacuation efforts following the incident, involving a Flight from an airline that's currently faced with EU safety bans.
