Nepali skies have claimed the lives of at least 66 people in the last one year, according to records maintained by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).
A chronology of major air disasters in Nepal in the last one year:
February 27, 2019: Air Dynasty chopper crashes in Taplejung district killing all seven people onboard
September 11, 2018: An Altitude Air helicopter crashes at Medhang-Mailungpakha of Nuwakot district killing six people onboard
September 1, 2018: A plane of Yeti Air crashes at Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA)
June 9, 2018: A plane belonging to Tara Air crashes at Jumla Airport
June 17, 2018: A Yeti Air plane crashes at the Pokhara Airport
June 30, 2018: A Simrik Helicopter helicopter crashes at the Grande International Hospital in Kathmandu
May 16, 2018: Makalu Air plane crashes killing two people at Simikot Pass
April 19, 2018: A plane belonging to Malindo Air crashes at the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA), in Kathmandu
March 12, 2018: 51 people killed in US Bangala plane crash at the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA), in Kathmandu
The high incidence of air crashes in Nepal puts forth a big question mark over the Himalayan country’s aviation safety. Reports prepared by committees to probe the previous air crashes have pointed at the human errors or pilots’ carelessness.
The committee reports are also found to have suggested the airline companies focus on the technical parts, including reparation and overhauling of the aircraft. However, the reports mostly gather dust. Moreover, experts raise suspicion over the reports.
74 air disasters in 68 years
Questions arise: Is Nepal’s sky unsafe, or is it that Nepal has troubled geography? The other question is whether a human error has played a crucial role in such fatal accidents or is it that Nepal’s aviation industry is technologically incompetent.
According to data made available by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, this country has witnessed 74 major air disasters over the last 68 years killing more than 800 people.
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