A Sita Air plane faced an incident at Juphal Airport in Nepal’s western Dolpa district on Thursday when its right rear tyre came off during landing. A senior police officer confirmed the incident.
“The plane carried 16 people, including 13 passengers and three crew members. It lost its right rear tyre while landing at around 8:25 a.m.,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police Anil Raj Giri, chief of the District Police Office in Dolpa. “All crew members and passengers are safe.”
Giri said the passengers included seven foreign nationals from countries such as France, Germany and Belgium, along with six Nepali nationals.
A video showing the plane’s rear tyre coming off and rolling down a slope also circulated on social media following the incident.
The aircraft had earlier departed from Nepalgunj Airport in southwestern Nepal and headed towards Juphal Airport.
Dolpa ranks among Nepal’s remote districts, where residents rely heavily on air services to travel to and from several parts of the region. Police said the aircraft remains on the airport runway after the incident.
“Necessary decisions will follow after a technical team arrives and examines the aircraft,” Giri said.
Nepal’s mountainous terrain creates significant challenges for aviation, and the country has experienced several air accidents in recent years. These incidents have also prompted discussions about aviation safety standards.
The Saurya Airlines crash in Kathmandu on July 24, 2024, killed 18 of the 19 people on board. An investigation into the crash identified concerns involving aircraft operations, flight preparation, cargo handling and regulatory oversight, prompting wider scrutiny of Nepal’s aviation safety standards.
The European Union has kept Nepal on its aviation safety list since 2013 and restricts Nepali airlines from operating in EU airspace.
Authorities have launched an investigation into Thursday’s incident and will assess the aircraft’s condition and determine the next steps.
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