Nepal Mourns : Noble pilot Arun Malla perishes

Kathmandu, August 7: Senior pilot Arun Malla, known for his extensive experience and skill, had been flying Air Dynasty helicopters for the past 13 years. Born in Lalitpur on July 2, 1966, Malla previously worked with Karnali Air. Balkrishna Pandit, the company's manager, informed Ratopati that since 2011, senior pilot Malla had been consistently flying Air Dynasty helicopters.

Malla was recognized as a highly experienced and senior pilot. From the moment he joined the company until the day of the accident, he worked with great efficiency and integrity. "Unfortunately, he met with an accident on Wednesday," Pandit said, "He was very hardworking and honest."

The death of pilot Malla represents an irreparable loss to the Nepali aviation community. Senior pilot Malla, aged 58, died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday. Alongside Malla, four Chinese passengers were killed instantly when the helicopter went down at Shivpuri-7, Suryachaur in Nuwakot during a flight from Kathmandu to Rasuwa.

Grande Hospital Helicopter Rescue Incharge Madhav Sharma noted that pilot Arun Malla, who had extensive experience in rescue flights, was one of a kind. "Nepal will hardly ever find a friendly, honest, and experienced pilot like Captain Malla again. His personality and working style were exemplary," Sharma said. "Though I didn't work with him for long, his impact was significant. He cannot be compared to others."

Sharma recalled Captain Malla's dedication to saving lives by rescuing patients from various parts of the country. Malla constantly communicated with the medical team to ensure timely hospital arrivals. Sharma emphasized that the Nepali aviation industry will struggle to find another pilot with Malla's experience, honesty, and friendliness.

"Captain Malla's death has inflicted irreparable damage on the Nepali aviation industry," Sharma added.

Pilot Malla, originally from Lalitpur and recently residing in Chapali, Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu, is survived by his wife and daughter.

Malla had survived a previous accident

It has come to light that Captain Arun Malla had survived a previous accident. In 2013, he was involved in a minor accident at Lukla Airport in the Solukhumbu district, where Dawa Galgen Sherpa, a passenger, was injured.

The helicopter with the call sign 9N-AEX of Air Dynasty had an accident during landing. The 9N-AJD helicopter that crashed on Wednesday had also been involved in a prior accident. On March 25, 2022, this helicopter had an incident while landing at Hams Hospital, where the tail rotor was damaged but no one was injured. Despite having survived previous accidents, this time, pilot Malla has tragically passed away.