Kathmandu, Sep 24: A Sita Air plane met with an incident at Juphal Airport in Dolpa district of western Nepal on Thursday after its right rear tyre came off while landing, a senior police officer said.

“The plane, carrying 16 people, including 13 passengers and three crew members, lost its right rear tyre while landing at around 8:25 a.m.,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police Anil Raj Giri, chief of the District Police Office in Dolpa. “All crew members and passengers are safe.”

According to Giri, the passengers included seven foreign nationals from countries including France, Germany and Belgium, as well as six Nepali nationals.

Following the incident, a video showing the plane’s rear tyre coming off and rolling down a slope circulated on social media.

The plane had earlier taken off from Nepalgunj Airport in southwestern Nepal and was headed for Juphal Airport.

Dolpa is one of Nepal’s remote districts, where air services are vital for several parts of the region. Police said the aircraft remains on the airport’s runway following the incident.

“Necessary decisions will be taken regarding the aircraft once a technical team arrives to investigate its condition,” Giri said.

Nepal has challenging mountainous terrain and has experienced several air accidents in recent years, frequently raising questions about the country’s aviation safety record.

The fatal Saurya Airlines crash in Kathmandu on July 24, 2024, which killed 18 of the 19 people on board, exposed significant weaknesses in aircraft operations, flight preparation, cargo handling and regulatory oversight, raising broader questions about aviation safety standards in Nepal.

The European Union has kept Nepal on its aviation safety list since 2013, restricting Nepali airlines from operating in EU airspace.

Meanwhile, an investigation into the incident is underway.

Washington, Sep 23: The United States announced plans to provide an additional $31 million for Nepal’s recovery from devastating floods, including funding for permanent bridges, humanitarian assistance and US-made drones.

The announcement came as about 70 Americans remained unaccounted for following the disaster.

Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker announced the proposed assistance during a meeting with Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal in New York, according to the State Department.

Hooker conveyed US sympathies to those affected by the floods, including the families of Americans whose whereabouts remained unknown.

The largest component of the package is $13 million for US-made drones intended to strengthen Nepal’s ability to respond to future disasters and support recovery operations.

The State Department did not provide details about the type or number of drones under consideration. It also did not identify the US manufacturers that could supply them.

Washington also plans to work with Congress to provide $10 million for permanent, custom-built bridges. The bridges will be sourced from an American company, the department said.

The proposed bridges are intended to restore transport links damaged by the flooding and improve regional connectivity in affected areas. Roads and bridges are particularly important in Nepal, where difficult mountain terrain can leave communities isolated after floods and landslides.

Another $8 million will be directed towards water, sanitation and hygiene services, as well as shelter, protection and livelihood assistance.

Part of that allocation will support winterisation programmes for communities facing colder weather without adequate housing or infrastructure.

The State Department said the new announcement would raise total US assistance for Nepal’s flood response and recovery to more than $36 million.

“The United States will continue to work closely with the Government of Nepal to identify and deliver additional assistance where it is most needed,” the department said.

Tuesday’s meeting took place on the sidelines of high-level diplomatic engagements in New York, where world leaders and senior officials had gathered for the United Nations General Assembly.

The flood disaster has also prompted an effort by US authorities to locate American citizens caught in the affected areas. Earlier reports said some Americans had reached safety, but the new State Department statement said approximately 70 remained unaccounted for.

Mumbai, Sep 22: The Bombay High Court warned “Fugitive Economic Offender” UK-based businessman Vijay Mallya against posting court documents on social media while the money laundering matter being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is still being heard, a lawyer said on Tuesday.

Advocate Ashish Mehta said that High Court’s direction to the fugitive businessman, allegedly present in the UK, followed the ED’s objection to Mallya uploading the probe agency’s affidavit on social media platform X even before the court had considered its contents.

Posting the matter for hearing on October 13, the High Court directed the State Bank of India (SBI) to file a fresh affidavit taking into account the disclosures made by the ED.

Earlier, Mallya had told the High Court in February that he was not in a position to specify when he would return to India.

He cited restrictions imposed by courts in England that he said prevented him from leaving the country.

The High Court was hearing two petitions filed by Mallya.

One petition challenges his designation as a “Fugitive Economic Offender” under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA), while the other contests a court order formally declaring him a fugitive.

Senior advocate Amit Desai, appearing for Mallya, had referred to Supreme Court judgments where writ petitions were heard even in the absence of petitioners.

He had submitted that extradition proceedings against Mallya are ongoing in the UK and that his client is aware of them but is unable to leave the English jurisdiction due to binding court orders.

The High Court, however, questioned Mallya’s intent to appear before the court, saying that he appeared to be relying on UK court orders without clarifying whether those orders had been challenged.

The Bench indicated that such reliance could not be treated as a blanket justification.

The court had directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to file a response to Mallya’s affidavit.

It also asked Desai to submit a detailed affidavit placing on record all statements made during the hearing so that the Union of India could respond accordingly.