In a devastating incident near Mount Everest, a private commercial helicopter crashed, resulting in the loss of six lives, including five members of a Mexican family.
The ill-fated Manang Air NA-MV chopper departed from Surke Airport in the Solukhumbu district of Nepal at 10:04 am, en route to Kathmandu. Tragically, the helicopter lost contact suddenly at an altitude above 12,000 feet at 10:13 am. Gyanendra Bhul, the Manager at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), confirmed this information, underscoring the unfamiliar territory where the helicopter lost communication.
The helicopter was carrying five foreign tourists who were on a sightseeing tour of the world’s highest peak. It was scheduled to return to Kathmandu, the capital city, on Tuesday morning. Airport official Sagar Kadel mentioned that due to unfavourable weather conditions, the helicopter had to alter its flight route, the news agency AP reported.
The helicopter crashed in the Lamjura area of Likhupike Rural Municipality in the remote mountainous Solukhumbu district.
TIA spokesperson Tkeknath Sitaula said all six bodies were found at the crash site during a search operation.
Six people including Captain Chet Bahadur Gurung and five Mexican nationals were aboard the aircraft, the official said.
All five foreign passengers are members of a Mexican family. They have been identified as Sifuentes G. Fernando (95) and Sifuentes Rincon Ismail (98), both males, along with three females – Sifuentes Gongalez Abril (72), Gongalez Olacio Luz (65) and Sifuentes G. Maria Jese (52), MyRepublica news portal reported.
Earlier, a senior official at TIA said locals informed him that the helicopter crashed with a loud explosion and they saw fire at the crash site.