Kathmandu, February 28
Some aviation officials of the country have said that Nepal will find getting out of the European Commission’s air safety list more difficult thanks to the fatal helicopter accident on Wednesday that killed the country’s Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister and two aviation officials among seven.
Aeroplanes from Nepali airlines companies are banned from the European sky from December 2013.
A joint secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation says the accident has sent a negative message about aviation safety status of the country.
Likewise, an official at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal says the Commission may raise it as an issue against lifting the ban imposed on Nepal.
“The EU has not lifted the ban yet citing the high number of crashes,” he says, “Now, the persons leading the aviation sector have killed; and we fear it will give them a space to raise more issues.”
Few weeks ago, in his meeting with ambassadors of various European countries, Minister Rabindra Adhikari had requested them to take initiatives toward removing the ban as Nepal’s security status was improving and the government launching new initiatives.
Other officials had been claiming that Nepal would be removed from the ban by the end of this year.
