Authorities have reported that a chopper went missing in the Solukhumbu district of Nepal which is home to Mount Everest and other high mountain peaks.
Officials have confirmed that at least five people have lost their lives in the helicopter crash near Mount Everest in Nepal.
The incident involved an aircraft operated by Manang Air, carrying five Mexican nationals and a Nepali pilot who were returning to Kathmandu after a sightseeing trip to the world’s highest peak. One person is still missing as search and rescue efforts continue.
The ill-fated helicopter took off from Surke in Solukhumbu district, known for Mount Everest and other high mountain peaks, at 10:04 am (04:19 GMT). However, contact was lost about 10 minutes later, and it crashed in the Lamajura area.
Weather conditions forced the helicopter to change its planned flight route, according to airport official Sagar Kadel. During the monsoon season, flights often face delays and alter their routes due to heavy rains.
Rescue teams have recovered the bodies of five individuals, while the search for the sixth person is still underway, as reported by Basanta Bhattarai, the chief government administrator in the area.
During the rainy season, which follows the end of the tourist and mountaineering season in May, tourist flights to the mountains are less common due to poor visibility and unpredictable weather conditions.
This incident occurred approximately six months after a plane crash in western Nepal that claimed the lives of all 72 people on board. Nepal’s challenging terrain, remote runways, and rapidly changing mountain weather pose significant challenges for pilots.
Nepal’s aviation sector has also faced safety concerns due to inadequate training and maintenance, leading to a ban by the European Union on all Nepali carriers from its airspace.
