Close shave as Buddha Air Plane skids off runway while landing in Nepal

Kathmandu: A Buddha Air turboprop aircraft skidded off the runway while landing at Bhadrapur Airport in eastern Nepal on Friday night, prompting an emergency response but leaving all passengers and crew unharmed.

The airline confirmed that all 51 passengers and four crew members on board Flight 901 were safe. The aircraft had departed Kathmandu at 8.23pm and was approaching Bhadrapur when the incident occurred at around 9.08pm.

According to Buddha Air, the plane overran the runway by about 200 metres and came to a halt in a grassy area near a small rivulet beside the airstrip. The aircraft sustained minor damage, but there was no fire or serious impact reported.

The flight was being operated by pilot Sailesh Limbu and was the final scheduled service on the Kathmandu–Bhadrapur route for the day. Local authorities quickly reached the scene after the aircraft came to a stop.

Jhapa Chief District Officer Shivaram Gelal told The Kathmandu Post that no injuries were reported among passengers or crew. All those on board were safely evacuated from the aircraft.

Buddha Air said it has sent a technical team from Kathmandu to inspect the aircraft and determine the cause of the runway overrun. The airline added that safety procedures were followed and that it is cooperating fully with aviation authorities.