January 17: Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) said the Yeti Airlines plane crash in Pokhara, the country’s tourist town on Sunday had dealt a powerful blow to Nepal’s aviation and tourism sectors. 

Issuing a press statement on Monday, TAAN General Secretary Binod Sapkota said the crash had caused an irreparable loss to the domestic tourism industry that was trying to revive from the COVID-19 pandemic and its repercussions. 

TAAN's press statement  describes that flights at Pokhara Regional International Airport were recently launched and the crash at the country’s tourist town had dealt a major blow to the domestic tourism business in Nepal.

TAAN President Nilhari Bastola demanded that government take appropriate measures to ensure  Nepal’s sky and aviation service are safe. 

Bastola advised concerned government agencies to take measures for the prevention of such incidents in the future. 

The plane with the call sign 9N-ANC ATR-72-500 that had left Kathmandu for Pokhara carrying 72 people, including 68 passengers and four crew members, had crashed on the Seti River Gorge on January 15. 

Meanwhile, The Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) expressed its sorrow over the plane crash. "The Association and all other organisations under it are saddened by the incident. In this time of sorrow, we offer our condolences to all passengers and crew members killed in the tragedy, and to the bereaved families," reads a statement issued by the HAN. 

HAN said the tragic plane crash had caused negative impact not only on the country's aviation sector, but also the whole nation and tourism sector as it has spread the message at national and international levels that Nepal's sky is unsafe and risky. --RSS