Flickr/Aero Icarus In 2007, Nepal Airlines sacrificed a pair of goats to help solve some of its aircraft maintenance issues.

According to the BBC, the airline confirmed that the animals were slaughtered at Kathmandu's international airport in front of the airline's malfunctioning Boeing 757-200.

According to the news organization, the 757 — one of two in the airline's fleet — had been suffering from a series of electrical malfunctions in the time leading up to the sacrifice.

In addition to making physical repairs, the airline also decided to appease Akash Bhairab, the Hindu god of sky protection.

"The snag in the plane has now been fixed and the aircraft has resumed its flights," a senior airline official told Reuters.

Following the ceremony, the aircraft safely completed a flight to Hong Kong.

Nepal Airlines is the government-owned national carrier for the small Himalayan country. Flying is the most effective way to get in or out of the mountainous country.

Kathmandu's International Airport Wikimedia Commons

Unfortunately, the country's aviation safety record is far from stellar. In fact, Nepal Airlines has been rated as one of the least safe airlines in the world by AirlineRatings.com.

Last month, the European Union banned Nepal Airlines planes from entering its airspace.

"The current safety situation in Nepal does not leave us any other choice than to put all of its carriers on the EU air-safety list," European transport commissioner Siim Kallas said in a statement. "We do hope that this ban will help the aviation authorities to improve aviation safety."