- Helicopter crash near Mount Everest claims six lives
- Cause of the accident remains unknown
- Weather conditions and monsoon season pose challenges for tourist flights in Nepal
According to the company operating the flight, the helicopter took off in favorable conditions, and the cause of the accident is currently unknown.
Six people were killed after returning from a sightseeing excursion when their helicopter crashed near Mount Everest.
Tuesday morning, the aircraft crashed near Likhu, just north of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.
According to Teknath Sitoula, a Kathmandu airport official, five Mexican vacationers, and their Nepalese pilot perished.
According to authorities, the victims have already been recovered.
Manang Air, which operates tourist flights, search and rescue missions, and expedition flights to Everest, operated the helicopter.
A company representative stated that the chopper took off in favorable conditions.
“The weather wasn’t terrible. Now, we cannot determine the cause of the catastrophe. It will require investigation.”
However, according to Sagar Kadel, another airport official, the weather compelled the helicopter to change its route.
The monsoon season, which begins in June, can cause poor visibility and unpredictability, which decreases the frequency of tourist flights during this time.
Nepal is notoriously difficult to travel in due to its mountainous terrain, and it has a history of air crashes.
In January, 71 people perished in a plane accident near the tourist city of Pokhara, the country’s worst air disaster in 30 years.
According to its Facebook page, Manang Air utilizes two Airbus AS 350 B3e aircraft.
