According to officials, on Sunday in Nepal, a passenger plane carrying 22 people, including four Indians from Mumbai, went missing. The plane was traveling from Pokhara, approximately 200 kilometers northwest of Kathmandu, to Jomsom, about 80 kilometers northwest. According to an airline official, the Tara Air-operated aircraft took off from Pokhara at 10:15 am and lost contact with the tower approximately 15 minutes later.

Although Nepal's aviation sector has flourished in recent years, transporting products and people between difficult-to-reach regions and foreign trekkers and climbers, its safety record is poor. Due to inadequate training and maintenance, the aviation industry in Nepal has long been plagued by poor safety. Due to safety concerns, the European Union has banned all Nepalese airlines from its airspace.

In addition, Nepal features some of the world's most remote and rugged runways, with approaches that provide a challenge to even the most skilled pilots. The rapidly changing weather in the highlands creates hazardous flying conditions.

Since 1949, when the first plane landed in Nepal, several crashes have cost hundreds of lives. The bulk of these incidents was attributed to pilot error.

A look at the major aviation crashes in the country over the years:

2018 accident of US-Bangla Airlines Flight 211

US-Bangla Airlines was flying a 76-seat Bombardier Q400 from Dhaka to Kathmandu on March 12, 2018. The plane crashed upon arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, killing 51 of the 71 people on board. Officials later determined that the pilot's mistake and lack of situational awareness led to the plane's disaster.

2016 accident of Tara Air Flight 193

Tara Air Flight 193 from Pokhara to Jomsom vanished just eight minutes after takeoff on February 24, 2016. Later, the wreckage was discovered close to the settlement of Dana, with no survivors. The aircraft was carrying 23 passengers.

2012 accident of Sita Air Flight 601

A Sita Air domestic passenger flight that was making an emergency landing in Kathmandu crashed, killing 19 passengers. The plane was traveling from Kathmandu to Tenzing-Hillary Airport when it was forced to make an emergency landing due to technical concerns.

2012 crash of an Agni Air Dornier 228

This was among the deadliest plane crashes in Nepal's history. Agni Air's Dornier 228 aircraft was en route from Pokhara to Jomsom when it crashed near Jomsom Airport. As many as 21 individuals were on board, but only 15 survived the accident, including both pilots.

2011 crash of Buddha Air flight 103

On September 25, 2011, a Buddha Air Beechcraft 1900D crashed near Lalitpur. All 22 passengers were slain, including 10 Indian nationals.

2010 Twin Otter Tara Air crash

On December 15, 2010, shortly after takeoff, a Tara Air DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft traveling from Lamidanda to Kathmandu crashed. All 22 passengers, as well as three crew members, were killed.

2010 crash of Agni Air Flight 101

Another fatal disaster occurred in Nepal in the same year after Agni Air Flight 101 disappeared from radar. The flight between Kathmandu and Lukla crashed 22 minutes after takeoff in the vicinity of Kathmandu, and all fourteen passengers were killed.

March 2008 crash of a UN helicopter

A UN helicopter crashed at Ramechhap in eastern Nepal while returning from a mission in a Maoist army base, killing all ten aboard.

Shree Air flight crash in 2006

A Shree Air airplane carrying 24 passengers for a WWF Nepal program crashed near Taplejung in eastern Nepal.

2006 crash of a Yeti Airlines Twin-Otter

At Jumla Airport, a Yeti Airlines Twin-Otter aircraft crashed. Nine persons were killed in the tragedy.

2000 Twin-Otter accident

Royal Nepal Airlines' Twin-Otter crashed near Dadeldhura, resulting in 25 person deaths.

1992 crash of a PIA Airbus A300

When a PIA Airbus A300 crashed in Lalitpur's Bhattedanda district, 167 passengers were killed.

1992 crash of a Thai Airways Airbus A310

Approximately 113 persons were killed when a Thai Airways Airbus A310 crashed in Ghyangphedi.