Indian marketing company in trouble in Nepal

KATHMANDU: Vectra Aviation, an Indian company that markets helicopter services in Nepal, is in trouble here with the foreign ministry likely to ask Indian authorities to take action against the company for violating the civil aviation act.

Vectra is the sole marketing agency in India for Eurocopter and poised to provide dedicated on-shore chartered helicopter service through its separate division Heliair. It landed in trouble last week after one of its choppers came to Kathmandu without seeking the permission of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (Caan).

The three-member Indian crew headed by Captain V.N. Sharma had taken off from New Delhi Thursday and headed for Nepal via Lucknow and Simra on the Indo-Nepal border.

On its arrival at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport, Caan authorities confiscated the chopper and the crew was detained for questioning. Caan officials said they had not been able to provide any satisfactory answer why they entered Nepal's air space.

The report is expected to recommend punitive action against Vectra for violating a sovereign country's air space and posing a security threat, official sources said.

About two years ago, another Indian helicopter strayed into Nepal but was let off without any punishment after it was discovered that the crew had deviated from its original route in the hope they would be able to get a glimpse of Mt. Everest, the highest peak in the world.