KATHMANDU, March 13: An Air Arabia flight from Sharjah, UAE, narrowly avoided a major accident near Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) on Thursday afternoon.
The aircraft encountered a missed approach at around 1:05 PM, just before landing, after experiencing sudden turbulence near Narephant, Koteshwar, approximately 500 meters from the airport, according to TIA sources.
According to aviation experts, the turbulence was caused by wind shear, a phenomenon that occurs when winds from opposite directions collide, creating a sudden shift in airflow. Fortunately, the pilots quickly executed an overshoot maneuver, allowing the aircraft to regain stability and avoid a potential disaster.
Similarly, an Air India flight from New Delhi bound for Kathmandu was asked to hold in the air at Simara due to adverse weather conditions. A Thai Airways flight also experienced a brief hold during its flight.
On Wednesday, several flights, including a Nepal Airlines aircraft from Narita (Japan), a Qatar Airways flight, an Air India flight from New Delhi, a Batik Air plane from Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), and a Fly Dubai flight, were forced to hold in the sky due to low visibility.
In addition to international flights, domestic flights, including Buddha Air from Dhangadhi and Yeti Airlines from Pokhara, were also held in the sky.
Flight disruptions have been ongoing for the past week, caused by low visibility due to adverse weather conditions, according to TIA.
TIA Spokesperson Rinji Sherpa explained that international flights are being particularly affected by these weather conditions, as pre-monsoon activity intensifies and weather systems bringing rainfall develop over Nepal.
Light to moderate rainfall occurred in various parts of the country, including the Kathmandu Valley, on Wednesday night. Rain was mainly reported in different areas of the Koshi, Bagmati, and Gandaki Provinces.
According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division, the weather in the hilly regions of these provinces will remain partly cloudy today, with light to moderate rainfall accompanied by lightning and thunder expected this afternoon.