Kathmandu (Nepal) | Jagran News Desk: Another plane crash incident was reported from Nepal on Sunday after an aircraft of the Tara Air went missing shortly after its take-off from the Jomsom Airport. The plane was carrying 22 people, including four Indians, three Japanese, two Germans, and three crew members.
This incident has once again brought back the memories of the horrifying plane crashes in Nepal over the years. Nepal is home to the world's largest mountain and the weather frequently changes in the land-locked country, making it difficult for the aviators. Let's have a look at why Nepal has been a graveyard for pilots:
1. Mountain landings:
Most pilots believe that the mountainous landings in Nepal make it difficult for them to control the aircraft while landing and take-off. Also, the frequent change in weather makes it even tougher for the pilots to negotiate.
"The country's beautiful but rugged terrain makes the safety of air operations more challenging than in other areas of the world," said International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), as reported by AFP.
2. Overstretched capital:
Besides the mountainous terrain, the overstretched airport in the capital city of Kathmandu is another reason for the high accident rate. The Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal's only international airport, is over 1,300 meters above sea level and lacks sophisticated radar technology.
Recommended For You
As a result, pilots depend on non-precision landing techniques for navigating. Also, the Kathmandu airport has only one runway due to which planes are forced to remain in long holding patterns in the air.
3. Lack of investment:
Lack of investment is another reason why the aviation sector in Nepal has failed to perform. The COVID-19 pandemic has only made it tougher for the aviation industry in Nepal, delaying the country's plan to upgrade its airports.
4. Unlearned lessons:
Several aviation experts have also alleged that the aviation sector has not learned from its mistakes in the past. Experts allege that investigations teams do not share their findings due to which the industry fails to learn the lessons.
"In Nepal, there are some very tough choices about where the government is spending its money... they are very aware that an expensive investigation means less money spent on other things," AFP quoted UK-based aviation expert Andrew Blackie as saying.