Unsafe skies: When safety reports gather dust, planes keep falling
Summary
Nepal continues to face frequent aviation accidents due to a flawed civil aviation regulatory structure, inadequate implementation of safety standards, and lack of investment in safety technology despite repeated warnings and investigations.
Key Points
- Nepal has experienced 112 aviation accidents since 1956, causing 965 deaths, largely due to unimplemented safety standards by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).
- CAAN acts as both the regulator and service provider, causing conflicts of interest and ineffective oversight, a structure criticized by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
- Manpower shortages and temporary contracts for key inspection roles undermine effective monitoring of safety standards in Nepal's aviation sector.
- A high-level committee recommends structural reforms including splitting CAAN into separate entities, investing in aviation safety technology, and establishing a permanent Nepal Aviation Safety Bureau for impartial accident investigations.
