Nepal Airlines’ only operational widebody aircraft was grounded in Japan on Monday after an engine problem disrupted its return flight to Kathmandu, further straining the state-owned carrier’s international operations.

The Airbus widebody had been due to leave Narita at 10:30am local time and arrive in Kathmandu at 3pm. But the aircraft remained at Narita after a damaged blade was found on its No. 2 engine, leaving 226 passengers waiting for their flight arrangements to be resolved. The widebody aircraft had taken off from Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport for Japan on Sunday at 11pm.

Nepal Airlines said one of the 26 blades in the engine had been damaged and the aircraft could not be cleared to fly until it was replaced.

The grounding is also expected to affect other international services. A flight to Doha scheduled for Monday night, carrying 269 passengers, and the return service from Doha on Tuesday morning, with another 269 passengers, could be disrupted, the airline said.

Nepal Airlines has four aircraft in its fleet, but only one of its widebody jets is currently operating international services. Another widebody aircraft has been undergoing maintenance in Italy for an extended period.

The aircraft was sent to Italy for repairs after a problem was detected with the engine’s C-duct. The airline had planned to bring it back to Nepal by late August, but it has remained in Italy nearly two weeks beyond that target.

Nepal Airlines is now trying to repair the aircraft in Narita and return it to service as quickly as possible.

Devendra Pun, the airline’s technical spokesperson, said the carrier was trying to source a replacement blade locally or have one sent from Kathmandu.

“We are discussing whether to get the blade from Thai Airways in Narita or send one from Nepal,” Pun said. “If Thai Airways does not have one available, we will try to send it from Kathmandu as soon as possible.”

The aircraft will return to Nepal once the damaged blade is replaced and it is cleared as airworthy, he said.

Repeated maintenance delays and technical problems have disrupted the airline’s schedule for months, leaving the carrier with limited capacity to maintain international services. With one widebody grounded in Italy and the other now stuck in Japan, the shortage of serviceable aircraft is putting further pressure on the airline’s schedules and raising the risk of disruption for passengers.