An Indian tourist was killed on Tuesday after two helicopters crashed while trying to land just below Mount Everest’s base camp.
Two others were injured as the aircraft crashed at Pheriche village, which is located at an altitude of 4,200m.
The incident occurred as the aircraft was ferrying trekkers bound for Everest base camp, and occurred during one of the main trekking seasons in Nepal.
Helicopters are routinely used around Everest, where there are no roads to bring trekkers down when they become sick or exhausted by the high altitude.
The tourist who died was identified as Bhupendra Thapa, a 47-year-old, according to a Solukhumbhu district administration officer.
Among the injured were a passenger from New Zealand and a Nepali pilot. While the Kiwi national was transported to the capital Kathmandu, the pilot was treated locally.
The total number of people on board both helicopters involved was not immediately clear.
The aircraft were operated by two private firms – Fishtail Air and Dynasty Air.
Fishtail Air issued a statement saying that its helicopter was carrying passengers who had been rescued from the Everest region when it crashed. This included the Indian and the New Zealander.
A Dynasty Air official said that its helicopter was carrying cargo, reported Reuters.
The Mount Everest base camp trek lasts up to two weeks with fall being the most popular season before the harsh winter months.
In October last year, a helicopter crashed while trying to rescue stranded trekkers around Mount Everest area.
It came as unseasonably heavy snow blanketed the Himalayas, halting trekking across several routes.
A small private helicopter flying to Lobuche near the Everest Base camp to rescue stranded trekkers crashed when it tried to land. There were no fatalities at the time.
In July 2023, at least six people aboard a tourist helicopter died when it crashed soon after take-off in the Everest region. The chopper lost contact eight minutes after taking off, raising air-safety concerns amid Nepal’s has a booming private helicopter industry.
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