This country is one of the most dangerous places to fly in the world

One of the world’s riskiest places to fly

Nepal has eight of the world’s highest mountains

The worst aviation accident in Nepal in 30 years

One of the world’s riskiest places to fly

A deadly plane crash on January 15 in Nepal has once again highlighted the dangers of air travel in a country often referred to as one of the world's riskiest places to fly.

Photo: Sebastian Pena Lambari/Unsplash

At least 68 people died

Of the 72 people on board, at least 68 were killed when a Yeti Airlines flight crashed near the city of Pokhara, a gateway to the Himalayas.

Why is it dangerous for planes?

Experts say conditions such as inclement weather, low visibility and mountainous topography all contribute to Nepal’s reputation of being notoriously dangerous for aviation.

Photo: Avel Chuklanov/Unsplash

“Hostile topography”

According to a 2019 safety report from Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority, the country’s “hostile topography” is part of the “huge challenge” facing pilots.

Photo: Anup Shrestha/Unsplash

Nepal has eight of the world’s highest mountains

Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains, including Everest, and its beautiful rugged landscapes make it a popular tourist destination for trekkers.

Photo: Jochen Van Wylick/Unsplash

A difficult terrain to navigate

But this terrain can be difficult to navigate from the air, particularly during bad weather, and things are made worse by the need to use small aircraft to access the more remote and mountainous parts of the country.

Photo: Cristian Grecu/Unsplash

Small aircrafts

Aircrafts with 19 seats or fewer are more likely to have accidents due to these challenges, the Civil Aviation Authority report said.

The world’s most dangerous airport

Pictured here is the airport of Lukla, in northeastern Nepal, known as the gateway to Everest and often referred to as the world’s most dangerous airport.

On a cliff, between mountains

The airport’s runway is laid out on a cliffside between mountains, dropping straight into an abyss at the end. It has seen multiple fatal crashes over the years, including in 2008 and 2019.

A lack of investment

A lack of investment in aging aircrafts only adds to the flying risks, according to the Civil Aviation authority in Nepal.

Nepal received help from the UN

In 2015, the International Civil Aviation Organization, a United Nations agency, prioritized helping Nepal through its Aviation Safety Implementation Assistance Partnership.

Challenges remain

But while the country has made improvements in its safety standards in recent years, it’s clear that challenges remain.

Other accidents

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

2018 Dhaka to Kathmandu

In early 2018, a US-Bangla Airlines flight from Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka to Kathmandu crashed on landing and caught fire, killing 51 of the 71 people on board.

2016 Kathmandu to Pokhara

And in 2016, a Tara Air flight crashed while flying the same route as the aircraft that was lost Sunday. That incident involved a recently acquired Twin Otter aircraft flying in clear conditions.

The worst aviation accident in Nepal in 30 years

The latest crash is the the third-worst aviation accident in the country’s history, and the worst in 30 years, according to data from the Aviation Safety Network.