Fatal helicopter crash claims five lives in Nepal

A tragic helicopter crash occurred in central Nepal on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of all five individuals on board, including the pilot and four Chinese passengers.

This incident further highlights Nepal’s concerning aviation safety record, marked by numerous fatal crashes involving light planes and helicopters over the years.

The Air Dynasty helicopter was en route from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi, a popular starting point for trekking routes. According to a press release from the Civil Aviation Authority, the helicopter lost contact just three minutes after takeoff and subsequently crashed in the Nuwakot district, north of the capital.

The crash underscores ongoing concerns about aviation safety in Nepal, known for its challenging mountainous terrain and unpredictable weather conditions that contribute to frequent aviation accidents.

“All five people aboard including the pilot are dead,” police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki told AFP.

Nuwakot district officer Ram Krishna Adhikari, said five dead bodies have been retrieved from the accident site.

“Police have already reached the site and the rescue operation is going on,” he said.

Nepal’s air industry has boomed in recent years, carrying goods and people between hard-to-reach areas as well as foreign trekkers and climbers.

But it has been plagued by poor safety due to insufficient training and maintenance, issues compounded by mountainous Nepal’s treacherous geography.

The Himalayan republic has some of the world’s most remote and tricky runways, flanked by snow-capped peaks with approaches that pose a challenge even for accomplished pilots.

The European Union has banned all Nepali carriers from its airspace over safety concerns.

Wednesday’s incident comes two weeks after a plane crash in Kathmandu killed all 18 aboard except the pilot.

Nepal’s last major incident involving a commercial flight was in January 2023, when a Yeti Airlines service crashed while landing at Pokhara, killing all 72 aboard.

That was Nepal’s deadliest since 1992, when all 167 people aboard a Pakistan International Airlines plane were killed when it crashed on approach to Kathmandu airport.

A Thai Airways aircraft crashed near the same airport earlier that year, killing 113 people.