Nepal's aviation authorities launched an extensive search operation after a Tara Air Twin Otter aircraft carrying 22 people vanished during a flight from Pokhara to Jomsom on May 29. The plane, which had 19 passengers and three crew members, last transmitted its location near Ghorepani at 2,874 meters above sea level before losing contact 15 minutes after takeoff.
Rescue teams, including military helicopters, police, and the Himalayan Rescue Association, are conducting ground and air searches. However, adverse weather conditions have delayed efforts, with three helicopters forced to return. A fourth aircraft is currently attempting to reach the suspected crash zone as daylight wanes.
The incident has reignited concerns about Nepal's aviation safety. The country's Civil Aviation Authority reported that the European Union maintains a ban on all Nepali airlines due to safety violations. Nepal's mountainous terrain, challenging runways, and unpredictable weather contribute to its high-risk flying environment.
Tara Air, a subsidiary of Yeti Airlines, previously experienced a fatal crash in 2016 on the same route. The airline's safety record is further complicated by a 2018 incident involving a US-Bangla Airlines plane that crash-landed near Kathmandu after the pilot suffered an emotional breakdown. That accident, which killed 51 people, remains Nepal's deadliest since a 1992 Pakistan International Airlines crash that killed 167.
In 2019, Nepal's tourism minister Rabindra Adhikari died in a helicopter crash. Despite these challenges, the country opened a new international airport in Bhairahawa this month to ease congestion at Kathmandu's airport and improve access to Lumbini, the Buddha's birthplace.
