Two helicopters collide near Mount Everest during rescue flight, killing one, injuring others
Two helicopters collided during a rescue flight near Mount Everest base camp in Nepal on Tuesday, killing one person and injuring several others.
The accident occurred at approximately 8:12 a.m. local time in the Pheriche area of Solukhumbu District, according to a translated press release from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). The helicopters were identified as an Air Dynasty aircraft and a Fishtail Air aircraft.
Two foreign tourists were aboard the Fishtail Air helicopter. One of them, 47-year-old Vasanth Kumar Balaramudu of Chennai, India, died in the accident, while the other tourist, New Zealand national Shailesh Kisan Patel, was injured.
Injuries and Investigation
At least one pilot involved in the collision was also injured, according to CAAN. All injured individuals were admitted to a hospital in Kathmandu for further treatment. The aviation authority has opened an investigation into the accident and will determine whether corrective action is needed based on its findings.
Context of Everest Operations
Helicopters are a critical form of transportation around Mount Everest, where there are no roads. They are used to evacuate trekkers and guides suffering from illness or exhaustion amid the region's cold temperatures and high altitude.
Pheriche, where the accident occurred, sits about 13,780 feet above sea level and is located below Everest base camp. The collision happened after heavy snow had covered trekking routes in the region, though conditions had improved by Sunday, allowing thousands of trekkers to begin moving through the area again.
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