Two helicopters collided while landing in Nepal’s Everest region on Tuesday morning, killing a 47-year-old Indian tourist and injuring three other people, police said. The accident happened at around 8.11 am local time at the Pheriche helipad in Solukhumbu district.
What happened at Pheriche
The two helicopters, operated by Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty, collided as both were attempting to land at Pheriche, in Ward 4 of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality. Their rotor blades struck each other, causing the accident. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the helicopters were approaching the landing area from different directions. The Fishtail Air helicopter, registration 9N-AJR, had departed Gorakshep carrying tourists, while the Air Dynasty helicopter, registration 9N-AOD, was operating a cargo flight from Lukla Airport.
Who was killed and injured
Police identified the deceased as Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu, a 47-year-old Indian national from Chennai, who was travelling aboard the Fishtail Air helicopter. His body was taken to a hospital in Lukla. Shailesh Krishna Patel, a 49-year-old New Zealand resident of Indian origin who was also aboard the same helicopter, was injured and airlifted to Mediciti Hospital in Kathmandu. Both pilots, Rabindra Prajapati of Fishtail Air and Prajwal KC of Air Dynasty, were also injured and taken to Kathmandu for further treatment.
Investigation under way
CAAN said an investigation had been initiated to establish the circumstances surrounding the collision. The cause of the accident has not been established. Police said the total number of people aboard the two helicopters at the time of the collision is yet to be officially confirmed.
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Peak trekking season risks
Pheriche, at an altitude of around 4,200 metres, is a major transit point for trekkers and climbers travelling to the Everest region. The accident comes during the peak trekking season in Nepal, when helicopters regularly ferry hikers, climbers and supplies between remote Himalayan settlements, raising fresh concerns over aviation safety in one of the world’s most challenging high-altitude flying environments.
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