Two helicopters collided while landing near Everest base camp in Nepal, killing an Indian tourist and injuring two others, including a New Zealander.
Two helicopters collided on Tuesday while landing at the Pheriche helipad in Nepal’s Everest region, killing a foreign passenger and injuring two people, officials said.
An Indian national was killed and a New Zealander was injured, Reuters reported, citing the chief district officer of Solukhumbu district. The injured New Zealander was being flown to Kathmandu for treatment, while a Nepali pilot who was also hurt was treated locally, according to the Associated Press.
The helicopters were operated by two private companies, Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty. Fishtail Air said its aircraft was carrying passengers who had been rescued in the Everest region, while Air Dynasty said its helicopter was carrying only cargo. Both aircraft were coming in to land on the snow-covered site when they struck each other. The cause of the collision is under investigation, and video of the crash has spread widely on social media.
The accident comes during Nepal’s peak trekking season. There are no roads in the Everest region, and small helicopters are the main way to transport tourists and supplies and to evacuate trekkers and guides who fall ill at high altitude.
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