MAKE ADVENTURE SPORTS SAFE BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!

Photo credit: Avia Club, Pokhara, Nepal

 

MAKE ADVENTURE SPORTS SAFE BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!

By LB THAPA

Pokhara has already carved a niche in adventure sports. Domestic tourists and foreign tourists regularly visit Pokhara for the experience of adventure. Some adventure activities like trekking, kayaking, rafting, caving, mountain biking, and boating have been available for years. But over the last few years, ultralight aircraft, paragliding, zip-flying, and bungee jumping have added extra thrill and adventure among adventure-loving enthusiasts. 

The promotion of tourism is necessary for the development of tourism, because it is the backbone of the Nepali economy. The tourism industry alone has provided the largest employment after agriculture in the country. In a situation like this, collective effort is utmost necessary for the development of the tourism industry. 

However, it is also true that the line between adventure and accident is very thin. If adequate attention and preparation are not maintained, then any moment of adventure can turn into an accident. And if accidents are repeated, this might affect the entire adventure tourism sector of the country. Most unfortunately, the regular occurrences of fatal accidents with paragliding and ultralight aircraft have created doubts in the minds of adventure enthusiasts. 

Alexander Maximov, the most experienced pilot at Avia Club, died in Ultra light accident. Photo: Avia Club

On March 3, Ebe Chisjer, 42, a Romanian citizen, lost his life when his paraglide dropped in the middle of Fewa Lake. He was rescued by the local boatmen, and the victim was taken to Metro City Hospital, where he died during the treatment. 

Just two days later, on March 5, Dmitril Stepanishin, a Russian citizen, fell on rocks to death. 

Similarly, on March 4, two paraglide pilots crash-landed and suffered serious injuries. To prevent further accidents, the Civil Aviation Authority of Pokhara has banned solo paragliding flights for an infinite time.  

It is a sheer example of corruption that over 60 paragliding companies have been registered in Pokhara. Paragliding experts believe that there should not be over 15 paragliding companies in operation. Any number greater than this will only make the sky much riskier for paragliding. Increasing numbers of paragliding accidents are testimony to the fact that paragliding has become much riskier than ever before in the sky of Pokhara. 

It is true with ultralight aircraft as well. In fact, ultralight aircraft have earned more notoriety than any other adventure sport in Pokhara.  

Late Stephen Shrestha, founder and owner
of Avia Club Nepal.

Avia Club Nepal had come into operation in 1996 with the purpose of the Pokhara Valley sightseeing. But in recent times, one after another accident and the deaths of the pilots and passengers have raised some serious doubts about the safety and security-related issues with the ultralight aircraft owned by Avia Club Nepal. 

Over a short span of time, Avia Club Nepal has lost some of its most experienced pilots, including the founder and proprietor of Avia Club Nepal. Stephen Shrestha, the founder and proprietor of Avia Club Nepal, had also become the victim of his adventure business. Unfortunately, Stephen Shrestha’s dream of taking his business to great heights fell apart with the loss of his own life. 

The spree of deaths of pilots did not stop even after the loss of Stephen Shrestha. In the days to come, more pilots lost their lives in ultralight accidents. 

In 2013, Stephen Shrestha, the proprietor of Avia Club Nepal, flew his ill fated Ultra Light aircraft with Liu Jian, a Chinese passenger. Stephen Shrestha had never thought it would be the last flight of his life. Shrestha had so much experience and self-confidence that he would never think anything less than an adventurous flight. 

But he was wrong on that day. The aircraft Stephen Shrestha was flying lost its balance and crashed near Shanti Stupa, Pokhara. The eyewitnesses said that the Ultra Light was completely out of control before it took a nosedive. The accident was so brutal that the pilot and the passenger breathed their last on the spot. 

Only last year, one more Ultra Light 9N-ALI aircraft went missing with its Russian pilot Valerie Putin and the South African passenger Elizabeth Well. After much search, the debris of an ultralight aircraft was found near Mt. Fish Tail. The mortal remains of the pilot and the passenger could only be found after an intensive search around the icy slopes.  

Laxman Kunwar, managing director cum tandem pilot at Nepal Flying Paragliding School is seen with Goma Gurung, a local resident of Pokhara. Photo: Nepal Flying Paragliding School.

The streak of accidents has not stopped. Some time ago, in a tragic accident with Ultra Light, the most senior and highly skilled Russian pilot, Alexandr Maximov, also lost his life. The accident took place soon after the takeoff, leaving Jillene Marie Volker, the Canadian passenger, with serious injuries. 

Alexander Maximov is much remembered by the Pokhareli people for his timely information about the Seti River flash flood that occurred on May 5, 2012. The flash flood took the lives of 40 people, and another 30 went missing. 

However, the loss of life could be greater if Alexander Maximov had not informed the authorities in time. Maximov was the most senior ultralight pilot with 5,000 hours of flight experience in Pokhara. On top of that, he has been flying ultralight aircraft for the last 14 years. Maximov had also flown 'Danphe', an ultralight aircraft that was engineered by a team of Nepali youths. 

Alexander Maximov was passing through Mt.Fishtail when he saw a huge cloud of dust from his Ultra Light. He flew closer and found it was a massive flash flood that was coming down at lightning speed. 

Understanding the gravity of the situation, Maximov contacted the Pokhara Airport control tower and informed him about the impending danger. The Pokhara Airport Control Tower then informed the District Police Office. The District Police took action immediately and sent a police team to alert the people living nearby the Seti River. 

At the time, there were over three dozen people collecting sand at Seti Bagar, Ramghat. The police team reached there and asked the people to vacate the river bank. Had Maximov not been informed about the destructive flash flood, most probably all the people collecting sand at the Seti River would be dead. 

However, the people at Tatopani were not as lucky as the Pokhareli people. On this fateful day, most of the picnic groups were enjoying Tatopani. These people could not get any alert warning from any source; as a result, most of the people lost their lives in the flash flood.  

According to the local eyewitness, Alexander Maximov had taken off with Jillene Marie Volker, the Canadian passenger, from Avia Club Nepal’s own Lauruk based airfield but crashed immediately after the flight. The accident left the pilot dead on the spot, and the passenger was found with critical injuries. Injured Volker received treatment at Gandaki Medical College, Pokhara. 

Keeping Nepal Tourism 2020 in view, the Nepal Tourism Board must act sensibly by appointing a team of experts to check all adventure sports in the country, and immediate actions should be taken to ensure the safety and security of the passengers. 

Every possible step should be taken to stop further accidents in adventure sports. Before tourists ask questions about the safety and security of their lives, timely government intervention is much needed.

LB Thapa, the author, is enjoying a paraglide flying. Photo: LB Thapa

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