Guwahati:An Indian national was killed and a New Zealander of Indian origin injured after two helicopters collided while attempting to land in Nepal‘s Everest region on Tuesday morning, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) said.
The deceased has been identified as Vasanth Kumar Balaramudu, who was travelling aboard a Fishtail Air helicopter. The injured have been identified as Shailesh Krishna Patel, a New Zealander of Indian origin, and Rabindra Pradhan, the pilot-in-command of the Fishtail Air helicopter.
Both injured persons were airlifted to Nepal Mediciti Hospital in Kathmandu for treatment.
According to the CAAN, the collision occurred at around 8:12 am at a helipad in Pheriche, a popular stop for trekkers and mountaineers in Solukhumbu district, situated at an altitude of approximately 4,371 metres.
The two helicopters involved were operated by Air Dynasty Heli Service Pvt Ltd and Fishtail Air Pvt Ltd.
According to the aviation authority, an AS350 helicopter bearing registration number 9N-AOD, operated by Air Dynasty, had flown from Lukla Airport to a helipad in Solukhumbu on a cargo flight.
The second aircraft, an AS350 helicopter bearing registration number 9N-AJR and operated by Fishtail Air, had taken off from Gorakshep in Solukhumbu carrying two foreign nationals.
A video circulating on social media reportedly shows the Air Dynasty helicopter descending rapidly despite warnings from ground personnel. As it approached the helipad, it collided with the Fishtail Air helicopter, which was attempting to land from the opposite direction.
The footage reportedly shows the rotor blades of the Fishtail Air helicopter striking the passenger compartment windows of the Air Dynasty aircraft while both helicopters were still around two to three metres above the ground.
The exact cause of the collision is yet to be established.
Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Director General Mukesh Dangol said preliminary findings indicated possible miscommunication between the pilots.
He explained that the helipad falls outside the coverage of Lukla Airport’s air traffic control tower, requiring pilots to coordinate directly with one another before landing.
“Preliminary reports suggest miscommunication between the pilots, as the area is outside the coverage of Lukla Airport’s air traffic control tower and pilots have to communicate with each other,” Dangol said.
He added that authorities were recording the statement of the injured pilot as part of the investigation.
Helicopters are widely used across Nepal‘s mountainous regions to transport tourists, climbers and essential supplies, besides conducting emergency evacuations. However, high altitudes, rugged terrain and rapidly changing weather conditions make aviation operations particularly challenging.
Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains and attracts thousands of international trekkers and mountaineers every year.
The incident comes days after a helicopter crashed shortly after taking off from Badrinath in Uttarakhand, India, killing all six people on board, including the pilot and five passengers.