Nepal plane crash: How many more tragedies before country starts tackling safety?
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Air travel for passengers around the world has become extremely safe. Last year, there were no deadly accidents involving commercial aircraft carrying passengers on scheduled flights.
Out of the two deadly incidents - both with propeller planes - the first and most tragic one occurred in Nepal. The crash happened to Yeti Airlines flight YT673 from Kathmandu while approaching Pokhara. All 72 people on board, including passengers and crew, lost their lives in an accident blamed on mistakes made by the pilot.
We still don't know what caused the recent tragedy on the same flight path. A commuter jet from Saurya Airlines was departing from Nepal's capital when it veered off course and crashed into a steep valley. The pilot managed to survive, but the other 18 passengers on board did not make it.
The disaster has led Nepal to reach a devastating total of 14 accidents in 14 years - a frequency far surpassing any other nation globally.
The story started in August 2010, with a tragic event on an Agni Air flight from Kathmandu to Lukla. Fourteen people lost their lives on the domestic flight after it had to turn back because of a technical issue.
Twenty-two additional individuals lost their lives while flying on a Tara Air Twin Otter on a domestic trip to Kathmandu in December 2010.
In September of 2011, a tragic accident occurred where 19 individuals lost their lives while flying towards Kathmandu on a Buddha Air Beechcraft aircraft.
One year later, seven travelers from the United Kingdom were among the 19 individuals who lost their lives on a Sita Air Dornier 228 that crashed soon after taking off from Kathmandu, bound for Lukla. They were beginning a three-week hiking adventure.
The accident was attributed to a variety of factors, such as an aircraft that was carrying too much weight with excessive luggage onboard.
The list of unfortunate events continues. There have been crashes in various parts of Africa, South America, and the former Soviet Union which are not uncommon. However, the number of accidents in Nepal is much higher – similar to what was seen in the early days of commercial air travel in the 1950s rather than the very safe 2020s.
The difficult landscape and unpredictable weather in Nepal require pilots and engineers who are extremely skilled, but they often struggle to meet the demand.
Many airlines in the country operate with aging and poorly maintained airplanes. The Saurya Airlines flight was more than two decades old, but with proper technical assistance, this may not be a problem. However, Nepal lacks sufficient training and enforcement of global aviation standards.
European Union banned all airlines from Nepal due to safety issues.
Over the last ten years, the International Civil Aviation Organization has worked to enhance safety through its program called "No Country Left Behind". This United Nations agency focuses on standardizing important rules that ensure the safety of most travelers and airline staff. The goal is to provide all countries with the opportunity to benefit from a secure and dependable aviation system.
People traveling to Nepal need to think about whether they want to fly or take a chance on the dangerous roads, which have a much higher accident rate than in the UK.
There is not much optimism that this series of unfortunate events will come to a close any time in the near future.
