The collision occurred just 10 feet above the ground as both helicopters converged on a single landing spot near Mount Everest Base Camp. Fishtail Air was transporting stranded tourists from Gorakshep following heavy snowfall, while the second helicopter, operated by Air Dynasty, was carrying cargo from Lukla. Surviving passengers and crew were transferred to Kathmandu Valley for medical treatment, while officials began examining why the pilots failed to coordinate despite clear weather.
Key points
The remote helipad operates outside Lukla Airport's control tower coverage, requiring pil…: The remote helipad operates outside Lukla Airport's control tower coverage, requiring pilots to communicate directly with each other.
Heavy snowfall in high-altitude settlements had prompted the evacuation flights that brou…: Heavy snowfall in high-altitude settlements had prompted the evacuation flights that brought both helicopters to the same location.
Civil aviation investigators are focusing on communication breakdowns and potential techn…: Civil aviation investigators are focusing on communication breakdowns and potential technical issues to determine the exact cause of the crash.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Indian killed as copters collide during Everest rescue
A 47-year-old tourist from Chennai was killed and two others - an Indian-origin New Zealand citizen and a pilot - were injured when two helicopters collided barely about 10 feet above a helipad near Mt Everest on Tuesday. The accident occurred around 8.11am at Pheriche, 12km south of Everest Base Camp, as one helicopter was evacuating tourists stranded by heavy snowfall and the other was carrying cargo.The rotor blades of the two choppers struck each other as both aircraft attempted to land, sending them crashing onto the snow-covered helipad. Aviation authorities suspect miscommunication between the pilots, who were operating beyond the coverage of the nearest air traffic control tower in Lukla - gateway to the Everest region.
The accident is believed to be Nepal's first mid-air collision involving two helicopters.The deceased was identified as Vasanth Kumar Balaramudu, who died at the scene. Shailesh Krishna Patel (49), a New Zealand citizen, and Fishtail Air pilot Rabindra Prajapati sustained injuries. Balaramudu and Patel were being evacuated aboard a private Fishtail Air Airbus AS350 helicopter,…
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