KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation on Thursday formed a probe panel to investigate into why the Nepal Airlines Corporation's Mumbai-Kathmandu flight, on which Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was travelling, was delayed on Wednesday.

The Ministry's spokesperson Ghanashyam Upadhyaya said the four-member panel headed by the Ministry's Joint-Secretary Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane was formed to look into the issue.

NAC Director Janak Raj Kalakheti and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal's Deputy Director Subhas Jha are members of the panel while Tribhuvan International Airport Flight Operation Department's Director Sudhir Kumar Chaudhary is the member secretary.

Wrapping up his six-day state visit to the southern neighbour, PM Oli had returned to Kathmandu on Wednesday evening on the RA 201 flight. His flight was apparently delayed for more than one hour.

In the statement, Upadhyaya said negligence was found on the part of the NAC while it was pre-informed about the "VVIP flight schedule."

The team is urged to submit the report within seven days.