Search resumes as deadly Yeti Airlines crash highlights dangers of flying in Nepal - CNN

CNN  — 

Hundreds of exigency unit connected Monday resumed searching for 4 missing radical pursuing a deadly level crash successful Nepal that has erstwhile again highlighted the dangers of aerial question successful a state often referred to arsenic 1 of the riskiest places to fly.

Of the 72 radical connected board, astatine slightest 68 were killed erstwhile the Yeti Airlines formation crashed adjacent the metropolis of Pokhara Sunday – the worst aerial catastrophe successful the Himalayan federation successful 30 years. It was besides the third-worst aviation mishap successful Nepal’s history, according to information from the Aviation Safety Network.

Experts accidental conditions specified arsenic inclement weather, debased visibility and mountainous topography each lend to Nepal’s estimation arsenic notoriously unsafe for aviation.

The Yeti Airlines formation Sunday had astir finished its abbreviated travel from the superior Kathmandu to Pokhara erstwhile it mislaid interaction with a power tower. Some 15 overseas nationals were aboard, according to the country’s civilian aviation authority.

Pokhara, a lakeside city, is simply a fashionable tourer destination and gateway to the Himalayas. It serves arsenic the starting constituent for the celebrated Annapurna Circuit trekking route, with much than 181,000 foreigners visiting the country successful 2019.

A authorities committee is present investigating the origin of the crash, with assistance from French authorities. The Yeti Airlines level was manufactured by aerospace institution ATR, headquartered successful France.

Fickle upwind patterns aren’t the lone occupation for formation operations. According to a 2019 information report from Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority, the country’s “hostile topography” is besides portion of the “huge challenge” facing pilots.

Nepal, a state of 29 cardinal people, is location to 8 of the world’s 14 highest mountains, including Everest, and its beauteous rugged landscapes marque it a fashionable tourer destination for trekkers.

But this terrain tin beryllium hard to navigate from the air, peculiarly during atrocious weather, and things are made worse by the request to usage tiny craft to entree the much distant and mountainous parts of the country.

Aircraft with 19 seats oregon less are much apt to person accidents owed to these challenges, the Civil Aviation Authority study said.

Kathmandu is Nepal’s superior transit hub, from wherever galore of these tiny flights leave.

The airdrome successful the municipality of Lukla, successful northeastern Nepal, is often referred to arsenic the world’s astir unsafe airport. Known arsenic the gateway to Everest, the airport’s runway is laid retired connected a cliffside betwixt mountains, dropping consecutive into an abyss astatine the end. It has seen aggregate fatal crashes implicit the years, including successful 2008 and 2019.

A deficiency of concern successful aging craft lone adds to the flying risks.

In 2015, the International Civil Aviation Organization, a United Nations agency, prioritized helping Nepal done its Aviation Safety Implementation Assistance Partnership. Two years later, the ICAO and Nepal announced a concern to resoluteness information concerns.

While the state has successful caller years made improvements successful its information standards, challenges remain.

In May 2022, a Tara Air formation departing from Pokhara crashed into a mountain, sidesplitting 22 people.

In aboriginal 2018, a US-Bangla Airlines formation from Bangladesh’s superior Dhaka to Kathmandu crashed connected landing and caught fire, sidesplitting 51 of the 71 radical connected board.

And successful 2016, a Tara Air formation crashed portion flying the aforesaid way arsenic the craft that was mislaid Sunday. That incidental progressive a precocious acquired Twin Otter craft flying successful wide conditions.