Jan 03, Kathmandu - Bhadrapur Airport in Jhapa has resumed operations with a shortened runway following an aircraft accident on Friday night, Paush 18. Airport officials confirmed that the runway was reduced after the incident involving a Buddha Air ATR 72 aircraft.

According to Airport Chief Kishor Kumar Khatiwada, the rear part of the damaged aircraft was in the off-track area, prompting the reduction of the runway length from 1,500 meters to 1,400 meters. He added that all pilots are being regularly informed about the shortened runway. Khatiwada stated that the current 1,400-meter runway is sufficient for aircraft operations.

He also mentioned that the exact cause of the accident has not yet been determined. The aircraft overshot approximately 300 meters on the eastern side of the runway during landing around 9:10 pm on Friday. Fortunately, weather conditions were clear at the time, ruling out weather as a cause of the incident. He suggested that technical issues might have contributed but emphasized that the true cause will only be known after an investigation.

The Buddha Air ATR 72 flight from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur experienced the overshoot while landing, resulting in an accident. The aircraft was carrying 51 passengers, 4 crew members, and 1 engineer.

Seven people, including co-pilot Sushant Shrestha, were injured in the accident. Shrestha sustained injuries to his head and face and is receiving treatment at Om Sai Pathibhara Hospital in Bhadrapur. The other six passengers have been discharged after receiving minor medical attention. Efforts are currently underway to clear the damaged aircraft from the runway.