Mountainous Nepal has seen its fair share of deadly air crashes over the years, with nearly 360 people losing their lives in 19 crashes since 2000. The country has a challenging terrain, with small airports in remote hills and mountains often shrouded in clouds, making flying conditions difficult.
One of the most recent crashes occurred on July 24th, 2024, when a Bombardier CRJ 200 plane crashed and caught fire during takeoff in Kathmandu, killing at least 18 people. This tragic incident adds to the long list of air accidents in Nepal over the years.
In January 2023, a twin-engine ATR 72 operated by Yeti Airlines crashed in Pokhara, killing all 72 people on board. This was the worst air crash since 1992 when a Pakistan International Airlines plane crashed into a hill in Kathmandu, killing all 167 people on board.
In February 2019, a helicopter crashed in eastern Nepal due to bad weather, killing all seven people on board, including the tourism minister. In March 2018, 51 out of 71 people on a Bangladeshi airliner died in a crash in cloudy weather at Kathmandu’s airport.
Over the years, crashes involving small planes and helicopters in Nepal have claimed the lives of many foreign tourists as well as locals. The difficult terrain and weather conditions in the region make flying risky, leading to a constant threat of air accidents.
While measures have been put in place to improve air safety in Nepal, the country continues to face challenges in ensuring the safety of air passengers. The frequency of air crashes in the region is a cause for concern, highlighting the need for stricter regulations and improved safety standards in the aviation sector.
