Helicopter crashes near Mount Everest
News today, "A helicopter crashed near Mount Everest in Nepal", killing all six people on board, aviation authorities confirmed on Tuesday, July 11, 2023.
 |
| Emergency responders transport the body of a victim to Kathmandu, Nepal, on Tuesday, July 11, after a helicopter with six people aboard crashed in the footholds of Mount Everest. (Sanjit Pariyar/Getty Images) |
Reports said earlier that contact with the Manang Air helicopter, which took off from Surki in Solukhumbu district towards the capital Kathmandu, was lost 15 minutes after its departure on Tuesday morning.
The helicopter was found crashed in Chihandanda in Lamjura village of Bhakanje
The helicopter was carrying five Mexican tourists and a Nepalese pilot, government officials told the news agency.
Residents reported that the helicopter was found crashed in Chihandanda in Lamjura village of Bhakanje.
Authorities said that all six bodies had been retrieved.
Also read: Former United States gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar stabbed in Florida federal prison.
"The bodies have been blown to pieces," said Sita Adhikari, a local official in Solukhumbu district.
"More police have been sent to the scene. Only then do we know the details," he added.
The cause of the crash is not yet known, Nepal's civil aviation regulator said, adding that the government would set up a committee to investigate.
"The helicopter took off... in good weather. The weather is not bad. Now we can't say what caused the accident. It should be investigated," said Raju Neupane, a Manang Air spokesman.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has expressed sadness over the incident.
Nepal is notorious for its poor aviation safety.
Many airlines in the Himalayan country fly to small airports in remote hills that are often shrouded in clouds.
The weather can also change rapidly in the mountains, creating dangerous flying conditions.
In January, Nepal suffered its worst air crash in three decades when a plane crashed near Pokhara, reportedly leaving all 72 people on board dead.
The European Union has banned all Nepalese airlines from its airspace due to safety concerns.