Indian Tourist Killed in Mid-Air Collision Between Two Helicopters Near Mount Everest
An Indian tourist was killed and three others injured on Tuesday when two helicopters collided while attempting to land at a helipad in Nepal’s Mount Everest region.
The accident occurred at around 8:11 a.m. local time at the Pheriche helipad in Solukhumbu district, along the route to Everest Base Camp. The helicopters, operated by Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty, struck each other during landing procedures.
The deceased was identified as 47-year-old Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu, a resident of Chennai, India, who was travelling aboard the Fishtail Air helicopter. Another passenger, 49-year-old Shailesh Krishna Patel, an Indian-origin New Zealand resident, was injured and subsequently airlifted to Kathmandu for medical treatment.
Both pilots also sustained injuries. They were identified as Rabindra Prajapati of Fishtail Air and Prajwal KC of Air Dynasty and were transported to Kathmandu for treatment.
According to authorities, one of the helicopters was carrying tourists, while the other was reportedly operating a cargo flight. The accident occurred during Nepal’s peak trekking season, when helicopters are frequently used to transport tourists, climbers and essential supplies across the mountainous region.
Police confirmed that the body of the deceased Indian national was taken to a hospital in Lukla. An investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances and cause of the collision.
