Two helicopters collide at Everest landing site, one dead
A 47-year-old Indian tourist died after two helicopters collided while landing at Pheriche Helipad in Nepal's Solukhumbu district on Tuesday, police say. A New Zealand citizen on one aircraft was injured and airlifted to a hospital in Kathmandu, while both pilots suffered minor injuries. The helicopters, operated by Fishtail Air and Dynasty Air, collided around 8.11am near the Everest base camp area. Authorities have not yet established how many passengers were on board.
Key facts
- Fishtail Air says its helicopter carried passengers rescued from the Everest region; a Dynasty Air official says its helicopter carried only cargo.
- Police Inspector Mausam Tamang identified the dead man as Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu.
- Solukhumbu district chief district officer Kaman Singh Thapa Magar confirmed the rescue of the injured New Zealander.
- Helicopters are widely used in Nepal for tourists, climbers, supplies and emergency evacuations, in terrain and weather that make flying hazardous.
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Why it matters
Helicopter traffic in the Everest region is central to tourism, climbing and evacuations, and the accident raises safety questions.
What changed
First published from Hindustan Times, The Hindu, CNA, Scroll.in and Al Jazeera English