According to Nepalese officials, six people were slain Tuesday morning when a helicopter crashed during a sightseeing tour over Mount Everest.
The authorities reported that the bodies of five Mexican visitors, two men and three women, and a male Nepalese pilot were recovered from the collision site. The crash's cause was not readily apparent.
Six Killed After Helicopter Near Mount Everest Crashes
According to multiple statements from the country's Civil Aviation Authority, the Manang Air-operated helicopter took off after 10 a.m. local time and lost contact with air traffic control within minutes.
The aircraft was en route to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, from Surke, a nearby small village located in a remote region close to Mount Everest, according to NY Times.
Pratap Tiwari, Nepal's aviation authority spokesperson, stated that two helicopters from Altitude Air, another charter company, had been dispatched for rescue operations but could not land directly at the accident site due to "severe weather" conditions.
According to the company's website, Manang Air offers private clients both standard and customized aerial excursions of the area. In an online statement, the company identified the helicopter's pilot as Chet B. Gurung, who was 55 years old and had "more than 7,000 flight hours of experience working for Manang Air since 2014," according to the statement.
The company expressed condolences to the passengers' families and stated that it would continue to collaborate with and provide information to the local authorities.
Read Also : Myanmar Violence, South China Sea Disputes Top Agenda at Divided ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting
Mount Everest Helicopter Crash Victims
Per Daily Mail, Tiwari stated that ground teams transported bodies to helicopters that could land nearby. Lhakpa Sherpa, a local resident who participated in search and rescue efforts, described the scenario as "extremely frightening."
The pilot was identified as Captain Chet B. Gurung by the Himalayan Times. Sifuentes G. Fernando, 95; Sifuentes Rincon Ismail, 98; Sifuentes Gonzalez Abril, 72; Gongalez Olacio Luz, 65; and Sifuentes G. Maria Jese, 52; were all members of the same family.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal "expressed sorrow" over the incident. Sagar Kadel, an official at the airport, stated that the earlier weather conditions also necessitated alterations to the intended flight path of the Manang Air helicopter.
During the monsoon season, it is common for flights to be delayed and routes to be altered due to intense rainfall. Before officials found the wreckage near the Lamjura Pass in the Solukhumbu district, the helicopter was initially assumed to be lost.
The police believe the tragedy occurred approximately 3,500 meters (nearly 2.2 miles) above sea level. Using the known GPS coordinates of the aircraft, a specialized altitude helicopter hauling security personnel was dispatched towards a potential impact site as officials located the body.
Nepal's private helicopter industry is thriving, transporting travelers and products to remote Himalayan regions where road access is limited or nonexistent. However, the country is notorious for its poor air safety, and Tuesday's disaster is the latest in a long line of aviation mishaps.
In May, one individual was slain, and four others were injured when a helicopter carrying supplies for a hydroelectricity project crashed in eastern Nepal. The Himalayan Republic has some of the world's most inaccessible and difficult runways, with approaches that present a challenge even for experienced pilots.
The weather in the mountains can also change rapidly, producing hazardous flying conditions. Additionally, Nepal's aviation industry needs to be improved by adequate training and maintenance. In January, a plane accident in the country's western region claimed the lives of all 72 aboard. As the Yeti Airlines flight approached the city of Pokhara, it crashed into a steep gorge, shattered into fragments, and erupted into flames.
In 2018, a US-Bangla Airlines plane crashed near the notoriously difficult international airport in Kathmandu, murdering 51 people and injuring 20 others severely. In the deadliest air disaster in Nepal's history, a Pakistan International Airlines aircraft carrying 167 passengers crashed on approach to Kathmandu airport in 1992.
Two months earlier, 113 people were killed when a Thai Airways plane plummeted near the same airport. Due to safety concerns, the European Union has banned all Nepalese airlines from its airspace.
