KATHMANDU: The government is observing today as the national mourning day in tribute to those killed in the Air Dynasty chopper crash.
All educational institutes, government offices and diplomatic missions will remain closed. The national flag will be lowered half-mast to mourn the death of those who died in the Air Dynasty crash.
An emergency cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar on Wednesday evening took a decision to this effect.
An Air Dynasty chopper crashed near Pathibhara of Taplejung district this yesterday, killing all the seven people including Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari on board.
The ill-fated chopper was flying back to Kathmandu after offering pooja at Pathibhara Temple.
KATHMANDU: The government on Wednesday formed a four-member probe committee under the coordination of Yagya Prasad Gautam, former secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, to investigate the Air Dynasty chopper crash.
The committee includes Dipak Prasad Bastola, brigadier general of the Nepal Army, Pramod Lama, former colonel of Nepal Army and Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, joint secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation as members.
An emergency cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister’ Official Residence, Baluwatar held this evening took a decision to this effect.
Meanwhile, the cabinet also decided to a grant public holiday tomorrow to mourn the death of those killed in the chopper accident.
An ill-fated chopper of Air Dynasty burst into flames and crashed near Pathibhara in Taplejung district, killing all the seven people including Tourism Rabindra Adhikari on board, on Wednesday afternoon.
Adhikari was flying back to Kathmandu after offering pooja at Pathibhara Temple when the accident took place around at 12:45 pm.
The chopper had left for Tehrathum to carry out a feasibility study of the proposed airport at Chuhandanda in the district.
SUKETAR: Nepal Army said they would airlift the bodies of the chopper crash victims to Kathmandu tomorrow.
Nepal Army personnel brought some bodies from the site to Suketar Airport of Taplejung.
A helicopter of Air Dynasty carrying a team comprising Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabidra Adhikari had left Kathmandu for feasibility study of airport at Chuhandanda of Terhathum met with the accident at Darebhir of Taplejung while returning to Kathmandu.
Nepali skies have claimed the lives of at least 66 people in the last one year, according to records maintained by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).
A chronology of major air disasters in Nepal in the last one year:
February 27, 2019: Air Dynasty chopper crashes in Taplejung district killing all seven people onboard
September 11, 2018: An Altitude Air helicopter crashes at Medhang-Mailungpakha of Nuwakot district killing six people onboard
September 1, 2018: A plane of Yeti Air crashes at Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA)
June 9, 2018: A plane belonging to Tara Air crashes at Jumla Airport
June 17, 2018: A Yeti Air plane crashes at the Pokhara Airport
June 30, 2018: A Simrik Helicopter helicopter crashes at the Grande International Hospital in Kathmandu
May 16, 2018: Makalu Air plane crashes killing two people at Simikot Pass
April 19, 2018: A plane belonging to Malindo Air crashes at the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA), in Kathmandu
March 12, 2018: 51 people killed in US Bangala plane crash at the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA), in Kathmandu
The high incidence of air crashes in Nepal puts forth a big question mark over the Himalayan country’s aviation safety. Reports prepared by committees to probe the previous air crashes have pointed at the human errors or pilots’ carelessness.
The committee reports are also found to have suggested the airline companies focus on the technical parts, including reparation and overhauling of the aircraft. However, the reports mostly gather dust. Moreover, experts raise suspicion over the reports.
74 air disasters in 68 years
Questions arise: Is Nepal’s sky unsafe, or is it that Nepal has troubled geography? The other question is whether a human error has played a crucial role in such fatal accidents or is it that Nepal’s aviation industry is technologically incompetent.
According to data made available by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, this country has witnessed 74 major air disasters over the last 68 years killing more than 800 people.
KATHMANDU: All seven bodies of those killed in the Air Dynasty chopper crash in Taplejung have been recovered from the site, Home Ministry officials said.
All seven people on-board the helicopter, including Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation died in the crash when it crashed at 1:30 pm on Wednesday.
Ram Krishna Subedi, spokesperson of the Home Ministry said the bodies have been retrieved from the crash site. There helicopters were sent to the site in Taplejung for the rescue.
The ill-fated chopper crashed at Tarebhir at Pathibhara of Taplejung when it was returning Chuhandana after offering puja at the Pathibhara temple.
Those killed in the crash were tourism entrepreneur Ang Tshiring Sherpa; Prime Minister KP Oli’s personal secretary Yubraj Dahal; Deputy Director General at CAAN Birendra Shrestha; security officer Arjun Ghimire; Birendra Bhochibhaya and captain Prabhakar KC.
They had flown to Taplejung from Kathmandu at 8 am on Wednesday morning for a feasibility study of the proposed airport at Chuhandanda in Tehrathum district.
KATHMANDU: All seven passengers on-board the ill-fated Air Dynasty chopper have died, police source said.
The helicopter belonging to Air Dynasty with seven people on-board, including Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari crashed in Taplejung when it was returning from Pathibhara at around 1:30 pm on Wednesday, according to Home Secretary Prem Kumar Rai.
On-board the ill-fated chopper were Minister Adhikari, Chairman of Yeti Airlines Ang Chhiring Sherpa, Birendra Prasad Shrestha, Yubraj Dahal, Prime Minister K P Oli’s personal secretary Arjun Kumar Ghimire, Birendra Bhochibhaiya, and captain Prabhakar KC.
KATHMANDU: A helicopter belonging to Air Dynasty with six people on board, including Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari has crashed this afternoon in Taplejung.
The helicopter was returning from Pathibhara of Taplejung district at 1:30 PM on Wednesday, according to Home Secretary Prem Kumar Rai.
On board the ill-fated chopper were Minister Adhikari, Chairman of Yeti Airlines Ang Chhiring Sherpa, Birendra Prasad Shrestha, Yubraj Dahal, and Arjun Kumar Ghimire. The name of the pilot is yet to be ascertained.
https://youtu.be/Ns-rl2wTxjg
KATHMANDU: Nepal has defeated Kuwait by 30 runs at its final match under the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Region Qualifier held at the Asian Institute of Technology Ground, Bangkok on Wednesday.
Kuwait was restricted to modest 86 runs while it was chasing the 117 runs target set by Nepal. Rubina Chhetri and Karuna Bhandari grabbed three wickets each, exerting pressure on the opponent team. Similarly, Nary Thapa and Kabita Kunwar took one wicket each of Nepal.
Maryam Omar made highest 29 runs including three fours off 36 balls, Priyada Murali made 14 runs off 37 balls while Mariamma Hyder contributed 12 runs off 15 balls.
Earlier, invited to bat first after losing the toss, Nepal notched up 116 runs losing seven wickets in the allotted 20 overs.
Nepal’s Bindu Rawal top-scored with 28 not-out runs including one four off 49 balls, skipper Rubina Chhetri made 22 runs including three fours off 13 balls while Nary Thapa contributed 19 runs including three fours off 19 balls.
In reply, Kuwait’s Maryam Omar and Priyada Murali claimed two wickets each of Nepal giving away 24 and 19 runs while Amna Tariq and Madeeha Zuberi grabbed one wicket each.
Nepal’s fate to reach Global Qualifier will depend on Thailand. Only the team with highest points on the points table will be selected for the Global Qualifier.
A total of seven countries – Thailand, Nepal, China, Hong Kong, UAE, Malaysia, and Kuwait – are taking part in the Asia Qualifier.
DOTI: Participants of the national campaign against Chhaupadi tradition held at Doti headquarters, Silgadhi, called for declaring Doti as a Chhaupadi free district.
Chhaupadi is a tradition associated with menstruation taboo in which teenagers are secluded from home during the periods.
The demand came when the tradition is taking ugly form in the Sudurpaschim Province including Doti district. On the occasion, lawmaker Binda Pandey asked the local levels to stand tough against the presence of such ill practices in society.
The campaign was attended by Doti District Coordination Committee Coordinator Ram Bahadur Eir, the chiefs and deputy chiefs of all nine local governments in the district and ward chairs as well.
KATHMANDU: Nepal has set a 117-run target for Kuwait at its final match under the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Region Qualifier being held at the Asian Institute of Technology Ground, Bangkok on Wednesday.
Invited to bat first after losing the toss, Nepal notched up 116 runs losing seven wickets in the allotted 20 overs.
Nepal’s Bindu Rawal top-scored with 28 not-out runs including one four off 49 balls, skipper Rubina Chhetri made 22 runs including three fours off 13 balls while Kajal Shrestha contributed 18 runs including two fours off 16 balls.
In reply, Kuwait’s Maryam Omar and Priyada Murali claimed two wickets each of Nepal giving away 24 and 19 runs while Amna Tariq and Madeeha Zuberi grabbed one wicket each.
A total of seven countries – Thailand, Nepal, China, Hong Kong, UAE, Malaysia, and Kuwait – are taking part in the Qualifier.
The team, which is atop the score board in the qualifier, will be selected for the Global Qualifier.