Six People Killed in Helicopter Crash near Mount Everest
Kathmandu, Nepal – A tragic helicopter crash near Mount Everest has claimed the lives of six individuals, according to a spokesperson for Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport. The crash occurred on Tuesday, July 11, 2023.
The Manang Air helicopter was carrying five Mexican passengers and a Nepali pilot, as confirmed by Teknath Sitoula, a spokesperson for the airport. Manang Air is known for offering tourists breathtaking views of Nepal’s peaks, including Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world.
The helicopter departed from the Solukhumbu district, where Mount Everest is located, at 10:05 a.m. local time on Tuesday. Its destination was the capital city of Kathmandu. However, just minutes after takeoff, the helicopter lost contact at 10:13 a.m. It was later discovered crashed in the rural municipality of Likhupike in Solukhumbu, as reported by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.
Local authorities and police who arrived at the crash site found the bodies of all six individuals on board. The process of transporting the victims to Kathmandu will be a time-consuming one, as it involves traveling by road from the crash site before flying to the capital, Sitoula explained.
The cause of the fatal crash has yet to be determined, added Sitoula. Nepal’s challenging weather conditions, low visibility, and mountainous terrain contribute to its reputation as a hazardous area for aviation.
This incident comes just months after a devastating plane crash near Pokhara in central Nepal, which claimed the lives of at least 68 individuals. It was the deadliest plane crash in the country in over three decades.
As authorities continue to investigate the helicopter crash near Mount Everest, the aviation industry is left mourning the loss of six lives.