Tragic Plane Crash in Nepal Highlights Ongoing Aviation Safety Issues

Tragic Plane Crash Highlights Ongoing Aviation Issues in Nepal

The recent plane crash in Nepal, which claimed the lives of 18 individuals on Wednesday, serves as a grim reminder of the country’s troubling aviation history. This tragic incident is not an isolated event but rather part of a disturbing trend, with dozens of aviation disasters occurring in the Himalayan nation over the past decade.

After each accident, investigations often point fingers in various directions, identifying factors such as adverse weather conditions, challenging terrain, fatigued pilots, and aging aircraft. However, a fundamental issue remains largely unaddressed: a significant conflict of interest within the regulatory framework. The very officials responsible for providing lucrative aviation services also oversee the regulations governing those services.

This troubling arrangement means that Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority often finds itself in a position to investigate its own shortcomings whenever issues arise. Analysts and former officials assert that this setup hinders the urgent reforms and strict compliance necessary to enhance oversight in critical safety matters.

The consequences of this systemic failure are dire. Not only has Nepal witnessed frequent aviation accidents—nearly 40 crashes since 2010, resulting in over 350 fatalities—but the nation’s poor safety record jeopardizes its aviation industry’s connectivity with the global market. This situation threatens to deprive the impoverished nation of a crucial source of revenue from tourism.

For more than a decade, the European Union has blacklisted Nepali airlines, including the national carrier, Nepal Airlines, due to safety concerns. If other countries, such as India, China, and those in the Gulf region, were to follow suit, as warned by Yogesh Bhattarai, a former aviation minister in Nepal, “that would be a tremendous loss for us.”

The recent years have seen a variety of crashes involving aircraft of diverse sizes. The incidents include:

• Fifteen helicopter crashes
• Four single-engine plane accidents
• Sixteen double-engine plane incidents

With the exception of three foreign aircraft, all these accidents involved planes operated by Nepali companies, underscoring the urgent need for reform and improved safety standards in the aviation sector.