Nepal Crash Sparks Concerns Over Elevated Runway Safety

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A plane crash in Nepal killed 18 people, highlighting the dangers of table-top runways

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Table-top runways are elevated with steep drops on one or more sides, making landings risky

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India has five airports with table-top runways: Shimla, Calicut, Mangalore, Lengpui (Mizoram), and Pakyong (Sikkim)

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Calicut and Mangalore have had major crashes in the past, with significant fatalities in 2010 and 2020

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On May 22, 2010, Air India Express Flight 812 crashed, resulting in 158 fatalities out of 166 passengers. It was the airline’s first deadly accident and one of India’s worst crashes

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On August 7, 2020, an Air India Express B737-800 crashed at Kozhikode Airport in Kerala after overshooting the runway and breaking apart

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The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regularly reviews these airports for safety

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Similar runways have seen crashes worldwide, such as Madeira airport in Portugal (1977) and Tenzing-Hillary airport in Nepal (2017)

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The recent crash at Tribhuvan airport in Kathmandu involved a Saurya Airlines flight, which skidded off the runway

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