KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has received the final report from the investigation committee formed to probe the Saurya Airlines crash that occurred near the Tribhuvan International Airport on July 24, 2023.

The report, submitted nearly a year after the committee’s formation, was handed over by Chairperson Ratish Chandra Lal Suman to Minister Badri Prasad Pandey amid a formal ceremony at the Ministry on Friday.

Minister Pandey noted that the report was submitted without any reservations and assured that the Ministry would implement its recommendations. The Ministry made the findings public on its official website shortly after receiving the document.

The Saurya Airlines aircraft (9N-AME) was en route from Kathmandu to Pokhara for base maintenance when it crashed near the runway, claiming the lives of 18 people onboard. Remarkably, pilot Manish Shakya survived the otherwise fatal incident.

Following the crash, the government had immediately formed an investigative committee on the same day under the leadership of former Director General Suman. 

The final report is expected to inform future aviation safety protocols and policies, a crucial aspect for ensuring safe air travel in Nepal’s challenging terrain as the 
Nepal’s aviation sector continues to face international scrutiny, with the European Commission (EC) continuing its ban on all Nepali airlines from operating in EU airspace for 12 consecutive years.

The EC has cited the need for structural reforms, particularly the separation of regulatory and operational functions within the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). The ban covers all types of flights, including scheduled, non-scheduled, charter, and repatriation flights.