One Tourist Dies as Two Helicopters Collide Near Everest

At about 8:11 a.m., two helicopters came down on the snow at Pheriche, near the Everest Base Camp route. A 47-year-old Indian tourist, Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu, died. Three people were reported injured, including both pilots. The helicopters belonged to Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty, and collided as they tried to land. ^3,12

The landing area is in Solukhumbu district, roughly 4,200 metres above sea level. Police said the aircraft’s rotor blades struck during landing. One helicopter was arriving from Lukla, while the other was returning from near Everest Base Camp, according to early reports. Heavy snowfall may have limited the space available for landing, but officials have not established that as the cause. ^1,3,11

That limited space matters because helicopters carry trekkers, climbers and supplies through Nepal’s high mountains. They can also bring down people who are sick or exhausted. Pheriche is a stop on the trek to base camp, where there are no roads. At high altitude, thin air reduces the lift helicopter blades can create, while changing weather adds risks. The crash has raised immediate questions about how the two aircraft approached the same landing site. ^2,7,16

Nepal’s aviation authority and district officials are now looking into that question. The injured New Zealand citizen of Indian origin, Shailesh Krishna Patel, was taken to a Kathmandu hospital. Both pilots were also taken for treatment. Police said the dead tourist’s body was taken to Lukla. They continued gathering details, including how many people were aboard the two helicopters. ^3,12