A 47-year-old Indian tourist was killed and three other people were injured on Tuesday when two helicopters collided while attempting to land at a high-altitude helipad in Nepal’s Solukhumbu district, according to police and aviation authorities.
Two Helicopters Collide at Pheriche Helipad
The accident occurred at approximately 8:11 a.m. local time. It took place at the Pheriche helipad, situated at an altitude of 4,371 meters (14,340 feet) on the route to Mount Everest Base Camp, as reported by the District Police Office, Solukhumbu.
The two aircraft involved were operated by Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty, according to statements from the operators and The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).
Police Inspector Mausam Tamang identified the deceased tourist as Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu, a Chennai native travelling aboard the Fishtail Air flight, which had arrived from Gorakshep with two passengers and pilot Rabindra Prajapati.
The second passenger on the Fishtail aircraft, Shailesh Krishna Patel—a New Zealand citizen of Indian origin—sustained injuries and was airlifted by a Prabhu Air helicopter to Mediciti Hospital in Kathmandu, according to The Tribune.
The Air Dynasty helicopter was flying from Lukla carrying approximately 300 kilograms of cargo with pilot Prajjwal KC on board, ABC7 Los Angeles reported. Both pilots sustained injuries in the impact.
Officials Rule Out Weather as Cause
Closed-circuit television footage captured the two aircraft drifting close together. Livestream weather cameras also captured the moment their rotor blades struck during the landing sequence, prompting CAAN and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to initiate an inquiry.
Solukhumbu’s chief development officer, Kaman Singh Thapa Magar, ruled out adverse weather conditions when speaking to Hindustan Times.
The weather was clear at that time. While details of how the crash took place will be known after investigation, it appears there was some technical glitch,
Kaman Singh Thapa Magar, Solukhumbu’s chief development officer
Nepal Police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle corroborated that observation to Hindustan Times, noting, Since the weather was clear, it appears there was some other issue.
Embassy Coordinates Repatriation of Victim Remains
Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated during a press briefing covered by The Tribune that the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu was coordinating efforts to bring the victim’s remains back to India.
The Embassy of India in Kathmandu expresses its deepest condolences on the unfortunate demise of an Indian national in an incident involving collision between two helicopters in the Solukhumbu district of Nepal today. The Embassy is working in close coordination with Nepali…
Police transferred Balaramaramadu’s body to a medical facility in Lukla pending formal handover procedures.
The collision unfolded during Nepal’s peak autumn trekking season, a period when hikers traverse the Himalayas and rely heavily on vertical transport.
Earlier coverage: Helicopter Crashes in Uttarakhand With Six People On Board