27 fatal plane crashes in Nepal in last 30 years
Rugged terrain, poor infrastructure to blame?
A Nepalese plane of Tara Air, carrying 22 passengers, crashed in the northwest region of the country yesterday. The Twin Otter aircraft had slammed into a mountain – breaking into pieces. No sign of survivors has yet been reported by the rescuers.
With this, Nepal has had an unfortunate history of plane crashes since 1949, when the country saw its first plane land.
Nepal's rugged mountainous terrain, lack of investment in aircrafts and infrastructure, and poor regulation, might be the reasons behind the crashes, according to The Indian Express.
According to the Aviation Safety database, there have been 27 fatal plane crashes in Nepal over the past 30 years. Of these, more than 20 have occurred in the last decade.
In 2013, the European Union banned all Nepal-based airlines from flying in its airspace, citing safety concerns.
In March 2022, the Kathmandu Post reported that the Nepal government's failure to act had ensured that the EU aviation blacklist continues.
Significant plane crashes in Nepal:
February 2019: Seven passengers of a helicopter operated by Air Dynasty died as the aircraft crashed into a hill on its way to Kathmandu. The deceased included Nepal's Tourism Minister Rabindra Adhikari and entrepreneur Ang Chhiring Sherpa who was the owner of Tara Air, Yeti Air, and Himalayan Airlines in partnership with Tibet Air, reports The Indian Express.
March 2018: In the third deadliest aviation disaster of Nepal's history, a Bombardier Q400 operated by Bangladeshi airline US-Bangla, crash landed in Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu while returning from Dhaka.
The crash killed 51 of the 71 passengers and crew on board.
February 2016: A Tara Air flight carrying 23 people went missing merely eight minutes after taking off from Pokhara. It was found crashed in Dana village with no survivours, reports Times of India.
September 2011: A Beechcraft 1900D operated by Buddha Air crashed into a hill killing all 19 people on board, according to The Indian Express.
December 2011: A Tara Air aircraft flying from Lambidanda to Kathmandu crashed soon after take off killing all 22 on board, reports Times of India.
March 2008: A UN helicopter crashed in Eastern Nepal while returning from a Maoist army camp. All 10 on board died.
September 2006: All 24 passengers on board of a Shree Air flight for a WWF Nepal programme died in a crash at Taplejung.
July 2000: 25 passengers were killed in the crash of a Twin-Otter aircraft of Royal Nepal Airlines in Dadeldhura.
September 1992: All 167 passengers of an Airbus A300 operated by Pakistan International Airlines died when it crashed while landing in the Kathmandu airport, reports The Indian Express.
July 1992: Only two months before the Airbus A300 crash, an Airbus 310 operated by Thai Airways crashed while trying to approach Kathmandu and killed all 99 passengers and 14 crew on board.