Six people lost their lives in a helicopter crash near Mount Everest on Tuesday, July 11, according to officials in Nepal.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal announced that all five passengers aboard the aircraft were Mexican nationals participating in a tourist excursion to see the peaks. The Nepalese pilot also perished in the crash.
The tragedy occurred in the Lamjura area as the helicopter was returning to Kathmandu, the capital city, from Mount Everest.
Adverse weather conditions necessitated a change in the helicopter’s intended flight path, a common occurrence during the monsoon season, which is characterized by heavy rainfall leading to flight delays and altered routes.
The helicopter lost communication with the ground around 10:13 am, shortly after departing from Surke on its return journey to Kathmandu.
Rescue operations were hampered by the harsh weather, preventing two helicopters from Altitude Air from reaching the crash site located on Lamjura Pass, which is situated at an altitude of 13,779 feet.
The victims have been identified as Fernando Sifuentes, Abric Gonzalez, Olacio Luz Gonzalez, Maria Jose Sifuentes, and Ismael Rincon, all Mexican tourists, along with Captain Chet B Gurung of Nepal.
While the cause of the crash is yet to be determined, a significant proportion of aviation accidents in Nepal can be attributed to CFIT (Controlled Flight Into Terrain), where aircraft collide with mountains hidden by clouds.
This incident marks the deadliest air disaster in Nepal since a passenger plane crash claimed the lives of 72 passengers and four crew members six months ago.
Since 1962, Nepal has experienced a total of 73 crashes resulting in 941 fatalities, with helicopters involved in at least 10 of these accidents, causing the deaths of 77 people.