Narrow escape for passengers as airplane’s rear tyre comes off during landing in Nepal airport

Kathmandu, Sep 24 (IANS) A Sita Air plane met with an incident at Juphal Airport in Dolpa district of western Nepal on Thursday after its right rear tyre came off while landing, a senior police officer said.

“The plane, carrying 16 people, including 13 passengers and three crew members, lost its right rear tyre while landing at around 8:25 a.m.,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police Anil Raj Giri, chief of the District Police Office in Dolpa. “All crew members and passengers are safe.”

According to Giri, the passengers included seven foreign nationals from countries including France, Germany and Belgium, as well as six Nepali nationals.

Following the incident, a video showing the plane’s rear tyre coming off and rolling down a slope circulated on social media.

The plane had earlier taken off from Nepalgunj Airport in southwestern Nepal and was headed for Juphal Airport.

Dolpa is one of Nepal’s remote districts, where air services are vital for several parts of the region. Police said the aircraft remains on the airport’s runway following the incident.

“Necessary decisions will be taken regarding the aircraft once a technical team arrives to investigate its condition,” Giri said.

Nepal has challenging mountainous terrain and has experienced several air accidents in recent years, frequently raising questions about the country’s aviation safety record.

The fatal Saurya Airlines crash in Kathmandu on July 24, 2024, which killed 18 of the 19 people on board, exposed significant weaknesses in aircraft operations, flight preparation, cargo handling and regulatory oversight, raising broader questions about aviation safety standards in Nepal.

The European Union has kept Nepal on its aviation safety list since 2013, restricting Nepali airlines from operating in EU airspace.

Meanwhile, an investigation into the incident is underway.

Further details are awaited.

–IANS

scor/sd/