An Indian passenger died, and two more were injured when two helicopters crashed while landing near Everest Base Camp this morning.
The helicopters were operated by Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty, two of Nepal’s largest companies. The crash occurred at the helipad on the outskirts of the village of Pheriche (4,371m). It’s a typical spot for helicopters to stop and refuel when on their way to and from Everest Base Camp.
As shown in the video below, the two helicopters came from different directions, and both tried to land at the same time. Somehow, their rotor blades collided despite the landing spot being in a wide, flat area with good visibility.
A shocking video of the incident, captured by a webcam at the nearby Edelweiss-Pheriche resort, quickly went viral on Tuesday. The two helicopters seemingly exploded into pieces as a crowd of bystanders ran for safety.
1 Dead, 2 Injured
Vasanth Kumar, an Indian trekker, was soon pronounced dead, The Tourism Times reported.
Shailesh Kishan from New Zealand and Rabindra Prajapati, a senior captain, were seriously injured. Both have been airlifted to hospitals in Kathmandu. They were all on board the Fishtail Air helicopter. The Air Dynasty chopper was carrying cargo.
Pristine Nepal Treks, a local guiding agency, posted a statement Tuesday about the “devastating incident.”
“Just yesterday, our guests successfully reached Everest Base Camp, fulfilling a remarkable milestone in their journey,” the group shared on Facebook. “They were happy, celebrating their achievement, and looking forward to returning as planned today. What should have been a joyful continuation of their journey has turned into an unimaginable tragedy.”
According to The Tourism Times, this is a busy moment in Nepal’s trekking season, when helicopters are frequently used for transporting hikers, cargo, and emergency evacuations through the Everest region. The cause of the crash remains unclear.
