Helicopter carrying ‘foreign tourists’ crashes near Mount Everest, killing at least five people
At least five dead in Mount Everest helicopter crash: Mexican family of five including relatives aged 95 and 98 among victims
- Rescuers had recovered the bodies of five people and were looking for a sixth
- The tourists were thought to be Mexican citizens, while the pilot was Nepalese
At least five people were killed in the crash of a helicopter carrying a Mexican family near Mount Everest in Nepal on Tuesday. One other person on the plane is still missing.
The helicopter crashed in the Lamajura area and rescuers had recovered the bodies of five people and were looking for the sixth, said Basanta Bhattarai, the chief government administrator in the area.
The plane was on a sightseeing tour to the world’s tallest mountain before beginning their return to the capital, Kathmandu, on Tuesday morning.
The tourists were believed to be Mexican citizens and reportedly all from the same family, while the pilot was Nepalese. According to authorities, two of the tourists were 98 and 95 years old.
Airport official Sagar Kadel said the weather conditions had caused the planned flight route of the Manang Air helicopter to be changed.
At least five people have been killed after a helicopter carrying foreign tourists crashed near Mount Everest (pictured) in Nepal on Tuesday
It is common for flights to be delayed and routes changed during the monsoon season amid heavy rainfall.
The helicopter was initially believed to be missing before officials discovered the wreckage around the Lamjura Pass of the Solukhumbu district.
Police said they believe the accident happened at about 3,500 meters (nearly 2.2 miles) above sea level.
“Five bodies have been recovered from the scene of the accident and a search is ongoing,” officials said The Himalayan times.
The publication identified the pilot as Captain Chet B Gurung. It also reported that all five passengers were members of the same family: Sifuentes G. Fernando, age 95; Sifuentes Rincon Ismail, 98; Sifuentes Gongalez Abril, 72; Gongalez Olacio Luz, 65; and Sifuentes G. Maria Jese, 52.
The aircraft, identified by the call sign 9NA-MV, was en route to Kathmandu and was due to arrive there at 10:05 a.m. local time.
But at 10:13 a.m., the helicopter had lost all communication with ground control and was flying at an altitude of more than 12,000 feet (3,650 meters).
The plane was on a sightseeing tour to the world’s highest mountain before beginning their return to the capital Kathmandu on Tuesday morning
A specialized height helicopter with security personnel was sent to a possible crash site using the aircraft’s known GPS coordinates.
Rescuers are now assisting and aiding the ongoing rescue effort in the race against time to find the last possible survivor.
The tourist and mountaineering season ended in May with the onset of the rainy season and tourist flights to the mountains are less frequent at this time of year as visibility is poor and weather conditions become unpredictable.