Nepal: Buddha Air Turboprop Veers Off Runway at Bhadrapur Airport, All 55 On Board Safe

Kathmandu — A Buddha Air turboprop passenger aircraft veered off the runway while landing at Bhadrapur Airport in Nepal’s Jhapa district on Saturday, triggering an immediate emergency response. All 55 people on board, including 51 passengers and four crew members, were reported safe.

The aircraft was operating a domestic flight from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur. According to preliminary information, the plane encountered difficulties during the landing phase and skidded off the runway. The flight, identified as 9N-AMF, is an ATR 72-500 turboprop, a type commonly used for short-haul regional services in Nepal.

Nepal Police confirmed the incident in a post on social media platform X, stating that the aircraft, which departed Kathmandu with 51 passengers and four crew members, met with an accident during landing at Bhadrapur Airport. “All individuals have been safely rescued by Nepal Police and the concerned authorities,” the post said.

Buddha Air also issued a statement expressing concern over the incident and acknowledging the efforts of emergency responders. “We are deeply concerned about the incident involving Flight Number 901, which veered off the runway after departing from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur. We sincerely thank the Nepal Police, Nepali Army, Civil Aviation Authority, and Buddha Air staff for their prompt and diligent rescue operations,” the airline said.

Providing further details, the airline noted that some passengers sustained minor injuries but received primary medical treatment and were safely sent home. Buddha Air also stated that it would fully cooperate with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal in the detailed investigation of the incident.

Officials said emergency teams, including personnel from the Nepali Army, airport authorities, and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), were quickly deployed to evacuate passengers and secure the aircraft. The runway excursion led to temporary disruption of airport operations, but services are being restored following necessary safety inspections.

An investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the incident. Authorities are expected to examine factors such as weather conditions, runway surface conditions, and aircraft performance.

The incident has once again highlighted concerns around aviation safety in Nepal, particularly involving turboprop aircraft operating in challenging terrain and variable weather conditions. However, officials emphasized that the Bhadrapur incident had a very different outcome due to a timely emergency response and favourable circumstances.

In January 2023, an ATR 72 aircraft operated by Yeti Airlines crashed while landing at Pokhara, killing all 68 passengers and four crew members on board. Investigators later concluded that the aircraft lost thrust after the pilot mistakenly feathered the engines shortly before impact.

With inputs from IANS