With the latest crash, there have been five helicopter mishaps so far this year
A Manang Air helicopter crashed in the Everest region on Saturday - the company's second accident in three months - raising questions about air safety in the country once again. The helicopter, which had left Lukla for Lobuche on the way to Everest Base Camp early in the morning to pick up a few foreign trekkers, crashed while landing, seriously injuring the senior pilot. It is not known what led to the mishap, but some suggest that there were strong winds at the time of landing, and the pilot, the sole occupant, had jumped out of the hovering aircraft, injuring himself badly in the process. The pilot, who suffered severe burns from the burning helicopter, is currently undergoing treatment in India after being flown to Mumbai in an air ambulance.
The latest accident is a blot on Manang Air, which alone has seen four accidents in the past one year, with the last two occurring at just three months' interval. Following the crash, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has suspended the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) of Manang Air, which now has no chopper.
With the latest crash, there have been five helicopter mishaps so far this year, involving Simrik Air, Heli Everest, Air Dynasty and Manang Air. Last year, there were four helicopter crashes and a major plane crash in Pokhara involving Yeti Airlines that killed all 72 people on board. Although helicopters are considered safe, the series of accidents makes helicopter flights highly apprehensive.
Earlier this year, on July 11, all six individuals, including the pilot, on board a Manang Air helicopter, were killed when it crashed in Lamjura in Solukhumbu district. The spate of air accidents oc-curring in the country, and in particular involving one single company, is unacceptable, and a thorough investigation by the government regulatory body is a must to keep our skies safe. Also, since the past one decade, the European Union has prevented all Nepali airlines from flying in Europe's airspace citing significant security concerns. Although hopes are high that the ban will soon be lifted - with the functional separation of CAAN's roles as service provider and regulatory oversight on the cards - the endless air accidents only give room for the EU to continue blacklisting Nepali airlines.
In the wake of EU's blacklisting of Nepali airlines since December 2013, CAAN seems overtly focused on fixed-winged turboprops, mostly operated by private airlines. But the latest helicopter crash is the 43rd of its kind since the first chopper crash in the country in 1979. Like planes, helicopter accidents can happen for a number of reasons, especially in a country like Nepal with a difficult terrain. The country's topography apart, the quickly changing weather conditions and the attitude of the pilots to fly even in adverse weather conditions and difficult terrain have been cited as the major reasons behind the frequent helicopter crashes, which have killed more than a hundred people in the last 45 years. Unless and until CAAN, airline companies and the pilots themselves make a resolve not to compromise on air safety by fulfilling all the requirements set by CAAN, Nepal's skies will continue to remain unsafe.
Labour market
The government has recently signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with Germany and Romania with a view to finding new job markets for Nepali migrant workers. Europe is considered to be a safe place for migrant workers, who are well-paid and taken care of than in the Gulf countries. The government is also holding talks with France and Portugal to sign MoUs for migrant Nepali workers, whose demand is very high especially in the agriculture sector.
The MoUs signed with Germany and Romania aim to send skilled Nepali workers in farming and industrial sectors. Hundreds of Nepali youths have been employed in South Korea for many years under the government-to-government deal.
While it may be good to send youths to other countries for job opportunities for the time being, ultimately it will create a labour shortage in the country, where fertile lands have remained fallow for want of workers. The way the MoUs have been signed with various countries, it shows the government is not serious about creating work opportunities in the country.
Instead of creating jobs within the country, the government is hell-bent on exporting the youths. It may give solace for a short time, but ultimately it will make us dependent on remittances.
A version of this article appears in the print on October 16, 2023, of The Himalayan Times
