Nepal Airplane crash at Lukla Airport
Nepal News

Three die at worlds most dangerous airport : Nepal

Three people has died in a plane crash in Nepal which is considered as the most deadliest Airport in the World.

The plane suddenly changed its runway and hit a stationary helicopter at Lukla Airport which is the main gateway to the Everest Region. The runway is very short and is in between mountains making it very difficult for pilots to takeoff and landing. The Aircraft was not carrying any passenger and when it hits the helicopter.

The pilot of the plane and two police officers who were standing near the helicopter died whereas three other people were injured.

The aircraft’s belongs to the companies which are involved in taking climbers, tourists and locals to the Everest region.

According to the officials, the accident happened because of the weather and later the flights resumed their operations. The exact reason behind the accident is yet to be disclosed.

Eyewitness Bikram Raj Bhandari told BBC Nepali: “I heard an explosion from some distance and ran towards the airport to see what had happened. There was smoke all around.”

Lukla Airport to be the most dangerous Airport in the World.

The Airport is located at an altitude of 2,845m (9,333ft).

Two pilots have also died in a similar accident in last two years and in 2008, 18 people including 12 Germans died when a plane was landing. One runway rests on the edge of a cliff with a 700m drop and the airport is often closed because of strong winds or heavy clouds.

Only experienced pilots are allowed to land at Lukla Airport. The pilot should have landed and took off at-least 100 times to be eligible to land in this airport.

Because of increased tourist in the area, the number of flights has increased in the recent years.

However, Nepal has a poor flight safely record. In February, seven people died in a helicopter crash, including the country’s Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari.

The European Union has banned the flights of all Nepalese airlines in its airspace.