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The 20 Hours of Wednesday April 5 takes you to the most dangerous airstrip in the world, that of Lukla airport in Nepal. There are no other ways to get to the mountains so travelers and locals take the risk.
When she prepares for the approach phase, a pilot for five years, only sees a tiny track in the distance. The young woman is about to land in an airport known to be the most dangerous in the world. This is Lukla Airport (Nepal), at an altitude of 2800 meters in the heart of the Himalayas. The airstrip is one of the shortest on the planet. It is only 460 meters long and its slope is 12%. Take-off is also a challenge because at the end of the tarmac, the runway throws itself into the void.
Seven tragic accidents
Since its creation in 1964, the airport has witnessed seven tragic accidents. The latest in 2019. Before taking off, a cargo plane struck a helicopter. On the tarmac, travelers observe the planes, worried. “It’s impressive to see that they manage to land on such a short runway“, declares, admiringly, a young woman. On bad weather days, the airport remains closed. It is the control tower that decides each morning whether or not to open depending on the visibility.
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