Kathmandu, 2 January: The English year 2024 was recorded as a very tragic year for civil aviation internationally. There were major plane crashes. Many people were killed in these crashes. Two days before the end of 2024, i.e. on December 29, a plane carrying 181 passengers crashed in Muan, South Korea, killing 179 people. Two were rescued alive from the wreckage by security personnel.
The plane, which was returning from Bangkok, was carrying 181 people, including six crew members. The accident occurred when the Jeju Air plane skidded off the runway and hit a cement wall while landing at Muan International Airport in Muan County, South Jeolla Province, about 288 kilometers southwest of Seoul.
Earlier, on December 25, an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer ERJ 190AR crashed near Aktau Airport in Kazakhstan, killing 38 people. Two major plane crashes in the second half of the year killed 217 people. In 2024, prominent figures such as Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Vice President of the African country Mali, Saulos Klaus Chilim, died in plane crashes. On May 20 (Jest 7), the Iranian president died in a helicopter crash. Similarly, on June 11 (Jest 29), the Vice President of Mali, Chilim, died in a military plane crash.
The aircraft with flight number J2-8243 crashed near Aktau Airport in Kazakhstan. The Kazakh ministry of emergency situations has reported 28 survivors, while rescue underway. (Photo by Isa Tazhenbayev/Xinhua)
As the new year 2025 begins, 2024 has proven to be a tragic year for airlines. A large number of aircraft, including large ones, have crashed this year. In December alone, there have been six major plane crashes. 234 people have died in those crashes. The continuous plane crashes have raised questions about safety protocols and technical problems in the aviation sector.
Similarly, on December 22, 10 members of the same family were killed when a private plane crashed in the southern Brazilian city of Gramado. Brazilian businessman Luiz Claudio Galezzi, his wife, three daughters, and other relatives were on board the plane. On December 24, an Air Canada plane skidded while landing and crashed. The plane caught fire.
Similarly, on December 22, a plane crashed in Papua New Guinea, killing all five people on board. An Islander operated by North Coast Aviation crashed in Papua New Guinea on December 22. A Bombardier Challenger 300 crashed near San Fernando Airport in Argentina, killing both pilots. The American airliner, operated by Camacha Air LLC, crashed near Honolulu’s Daniel International Airport, killing both pilots. On August 9, a plane crashed in Vinhedo, Brazil, killing all 62 people on board.
Nepal also could not stay away from plane crashes in 2024. On July 24 (Shrawan 9), 18 people died when a Saurya Airlines plane crashed. Similarly, on August 7 (Shrawan 23), five people died when an Air Dynasty helicopter crashed in the Shivapuri area of Kathmandu. In 2023, a Yeti Airlines ATR-72 plane crashed, killing all 72 people on board. This accident is the worst in domestic flight to date.
Captain RK Sharma, Operational Director of Buddha Air, says that although the year 2024 was a sad year in terms of air accidents globally, there has been some improvement in Nepal. “The year 2024 should be considered a happy year for Nepal. However, globally, the continuous occurrence of major incidents as the year is about to end makes the year a sad year in terms of air accidents,” he said. He believes that air safety can be considered to have improved in Nepal. However, the Saurya Air and Air Dynasty helicopter accidents have once again shocked us. This requires airlines to focus on aviation safety and security as well as improving managerial capacity, says Captain Sharma.
The number of air passengers worldwide is growing positively in 2024. The continuous increase in air passenger traffic has increased the attractiveness of this sector, as well as the pressure to strengthen safety and security. Aviation expert Achyut Pahadi also says that 2024 has proven to be a tragic year for aviation.
“Major air accidents have occurred worldwide. In Nepal too, the Saurya Airlines and Air Dynasty helicopter accidents have occurred. In this way, aviation has not been able to survive in 2024. Not only accidents, but also human casualties have occurred. This has raised questions about air safety,” he said. Sanjeev Gautam, former Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, said that some air accidents in the last months of 2024 have created doubts in the aviation sector. Overall, he mentioned that aviation has suffered a lot as we bid farewell to 2024.
“Although it was a good year for Nepal in terms of aviation, it was a tragic year when viewed globally,” said former Director General Gautam. “The state and concerned bodies should focus on how to strengthen aviation safety by learning lessons from the accident.” The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has set a goal of reducing human-caused accidents to zero by 2030. Currently, air passenger numbers are increasing by 10 percent annually. Quoting data from the International Air Transport Association, former Director General Gautam said that the number of air passengers worldwide has reached nearly five billion. In 2019, 4.5 billion air passengers were carried.
Gyanendra Bhol, Information Officer of the Authority, said that while the increase in air passengers can be taken as a positive, some air accidents in 2024 have left the aviation sector sad. “Although in the context of Nepal, the number of accidents in 2024 was an improvement compared to 2023, globally, the large number of plane accidents in the last month of the year has shaken the aviation sector,” he said.
Information Officer Bhola says that there is improvement in terms of flight safety and passenger growth. The number of air passengers in Nepal is also continuously increasing. According to the NEA’s data, the number of domestic and international air passengers increased by 13 percent in 2024 compared to the previous year. A total of 8.76 million, 302 air passengers have traveled on domestic flights until November 2024. A total of 7.7 million air passengers had traveled until November 2023. Similarly, the number of international air passengers had reached 4.449 million by November 2024.
According to the authority, 959 people have died in 108 air accidents in Nepal so far. The first was the Kalinga Air accident in Simara in 2012 BS. Two major plane crashes in South Korea and Kazakhstan towards the end of the year have left the aviation sector in disarray. The incident has raised questions about how safe air travel is globally. Thus, more than 400 people are said to have died in major plane crashes in 2024. Experts say that most accidents are caused by bad weather and human error.
