Plane crashes: Nepal averages 1 flight disaster every year. Why is the number so high?

At least 18 people were killed after a Saurya Airlines plane crashed in Nepal's Kathmandu on Wednesday. The plane crashed during takeoff at the Tribhuvan International Airport on the morning of July 24. A total of 19 people, including the aircrew, were on board the plane when it crashed, and the pilot of the flight is the sole survivor.

The plane was carrying two crew members and 17 technicians to Pokhara city to repair another aircraft, officials said. Television visuals showed fire fighters trying to put out the blaze and thick black smoke rising into the sky. They also showed the plane flying a little above the runway and then tilting before it crashed.

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Nepal averages about one flight disaster a year. Nepal has seen an unusually high number of plane crashes in the last decade. The deadliest plane crash in the country took place on January 16, 2023, in Pokhara, where 72 people died. In the last 12 years, the Kathmandu plane crash is the 13th plane crash reported in Nepal.

Reason behind high number of plane crashes in Nepal

One of the most common reasons why Nepal has seen over a dozen aircraft accidents in the last decade is because of the lack of proper maintenance and aircraft training. Nepal is a struggling economy, and there is a lack of infrastructure for proper maintenance of aircrafts, and proper training of staff.

Nepal also has a tricky topography which makes it difficult for pilots to navigate to the small and remote airports in the country. Nepal also lacks the infrastructure for accurate weather forecasts, especially in remote areas and mountainous terrains, where some of the most deadly plane crashes of the country have taken place.

Read more: Nepal: Chilling video shows moment Saurya Airlines plane crashed in Kathmandu

The weather in Nepal is unpredictable and changes quickly in many areas due to the hilly terrain, and can make for dangerous conditions for a flight.

It is currently the monsoon season in Nepal but it was not raining at the time of the plane crash in Kathmandu today. However, weather agencies said that there was low visibility in the area.

The Kathmandu airport, the main airport serving Nepal, is located inside a valley surrounded by mountains on most sides. It is considered a challenging airport for pilots and bigger planes have to come through an opening on the mountain to land. It is right next to the city. The airport is surrounded by houses and neighborhoods.

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