A Nepali court has ordered US-Bangla Airlines to pay $2.74 million in fresh compensation to the families of 17 victims of the deadly 2018 Kathmandu crash, which left 51 people dead at Tribhuvan International Airport.

The ruling, delivered by Judge Diwakar Bhatta of the Kathmandu District Court, marks a legal first in Nepal’s aviation history, citing gross negligence by the airline, The Kathmandu Post reported.

The compensation is said to be in addition to the $20,000 already paid to each family under international insurance provisions.

However, US-Bangla Airlines has denied receiving any formal notification of the verdict.

In a statement issued from Dhaka, the airline said: “We have not been officially informed of any such verdict. Our legal team is currently reviewing the matter with due seriousness.”

The airline added that it would respond appropriately once it receives verifiable documentation and urged international media outlets to avoid reporting based solely on secondary sources.

The Kathmandu Post reported, citing court officials, that the written judgment is still being prepared for public release.

The ruling reportedly allows families to seek unlimited liability in cases of proven misconduct, setting a precedent under the Warsaw Convention and Hague Protocol, which governed liability at the time of the crash.

The March 12, 2018 crash involved a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft en route from Dhaka to Kathmandu.

Among the deceased were 22 Nepalis, 28 Bangladeshis, and one Chinese national.