KATHMANDU, Nepal- Nepali aviation sector are fearing with the final reports of the European Union (EU) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as the organizations have cautioned it for better air safety or blacklisting.
The EC, in its report published last week had said that if the results of the ICAO audit or any other relevant safety information indicate that air safety risks in Nepal are not adequately contained, the commission would be forced to take action against Nepal in accordance with regulation (EC) No 2111/2005. It, however, had said that it will wait for the results of an audit by the ICAO before completing its assessment of the safety situation in Nepal.
ICAO’s report on Nepal’s aviation safety status will be published on August 3.
The Nepali aviation sector are concerned because Nepali air carriers will be subject to an operating ban within the EU and that air passengers will be informed about the airlines in which they could travel in Nepal, if both the organizations report fault in the air safety here.
The results of an ICAO audit in May 2009 found Nepal not to be in effective compliance with a majority of international safety standards.
The audit showed that the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) was not capable of ensuring effective implementation of international safety standards.
It had pointed out weakness in the areas of air operations, airworthiness and accident investigation, primary aviation legislation and civil aviation regulations, civil aviation organization and personnel licensing and training.
CAAN had invited ICAO’s coordination and validation mission to Nepal this July to validate the corrective measures Nepal has adopted to address and resolve deficiencies the ICAO had pointed out in 2009. The mission carried out an on-site audit from July 10-16.
The commission in its report said that five fatal accidents involving a number of EU citizens have occurred in Nepal involving Nepal registered aircraft over a period of two years (August 2010 – September 2012). In addition, there were three more accidents in 2013.
