One Dead, Two Injured in Mount Everest Helicopter Collision
Tourist killed and New Zealander injured in Mount Everest helicopter collision
Two helicopters collided while trying to land just below Mount Everest’s base camp, killing at least one person and injuring two others, 1News reported.
The aircraft crashed at Pheriche village at an altitude of 4,200 meters. A 47-year-old tourist from India was killed in the incident, according to Bhupendra Thapa, a Solukhumbu district administration officer. A passenger from New Zealand, Patel, sustained injuries and was transported to Kathmandu for treatment. A Nepali pilot also sustained injuries and received local treatment.
Footage of the collision, which occurred just after 8am local time on Tuesday, shows two helicopters landing at the Pheriche helipad from opposite directions. One helicopter’s rotor blades sheared the tail from the other craft before both plummeted to the ground. The impact happened meters from the ground near a line of people waiting for the aircraft to land. The helicopters belonged to Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty, private firms that charter flights throughout Nepal.
Peak trekking season and reliance on aviation
The aircraft were ferrying trekkers who had been hiking up to Everest base camp during Nepal’s popular fall trekking season, which falls right after the rainy season and before harsh winter months. Heavy snow had covered the route before the weather improved on Sunday, allowing thousands of trekkers to move around.
Because there are no roads on Mount Everest, helicopters remain the only way to bring down trekkers and guides who become sick or exhausted in the extreme cold and high altitude. The Mount Everest base camp trek lasts up to two weeks, running from the only local airstrip at Lukla to the base camp at 5,300 meters. Fishtail Air stated that its helicopter was carrying passengers rescued from the Everest region, while an official from Dynasty Air stated that its aircraft was carrying only cargo.
Hospital confirms stable condition for crash survivors
Following the crash, Patel and the two pilots were taken to Nepal Mediciti Hospital in Kathmandu. Medical superintendent Dr Raj Rana confirmed that all three individuals were in a stable and risk-free condition for the immediate time, noting that the facility was providing essential medical care, treatment, and continuous monitoring. Thapa stated plans to visit Patel at the hospital.
A spokesperson for New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed awareness of reports regarding a New Zealand citizen injured in the helicopter accident, noting that no further information would be provided due to privacy reasons.