Kathmandu: An Indian tourist was killed and three others, including two pilots, were injured on Tuesday morning after two commercial helicopters collided while attempting to land at the high-altitude Pheriche helipad in Nepal's Solukhumbu district.
The fatal mid-air collision, which occurred at approximately 8:11 AM local time involved an Air Dynasty Airbus H125 arriving from Lukla with cargo, and a Fishtail Air flight returning with rescued trekkers from Gorakshep. Pheriche, located roughly 4,200 metres above sea level, is a vital transport and emergency hub on the trekking route to the Mount Everest Base Camp.
Nepal Police confirmed that the deceased passenger, 47-year-old Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, died on the spot. Shailesh Krishna Patel, a 49-year-old New Zealand citizen of Indian origin who was also aboard the Fishtail Air helicopter, sustained injuries and was airlifted to Nepal Mediciti Hospital in Kathmandu. Both pilots—Captain Rabindra Prajapati of Fishtail Air and Captain Prajwal KC of Air Dynasty—suffered minor injuries and were evacuated to the capital for treatment.
Chilling closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage surfaced online shortly after the crash, showing the two aircraft drifting dangerously close over the snowy helipad before their fast-spinning rotor blades violently struck each other.
A preliminary update issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) pointed toward localized communication difficulties. "The Pheriche area sits well outside the primary line-of-sight air traffic control zone of Lukla Airport," officials noted, indicating that pilots are required to self-coordinate their approaches via blind radio broadcasts.
"Solukhumbu accident further update: One person dead, three injured," the Nepal Police stated in an official dispatch as rescue operations concluded.
An official investigation has been launched by CAAN to evaluate safety protocol oversights during peak Himalayan trekking seasons.