An Indian passenger died and two more were injured when two helicopters crashed while landing near Everest Base Camp this morning.
The helicopters were operated by Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty, two of Nepal’s largest companies. The crash occurred at the helipad on the outskirts of the village of Pheriche (4,371m). It’s a typical spot for helicopters to stop and refuel when on their way to and from Everest Base Camp.
As shown in the horrific video below, the two helicopters came from different directions, and both tried to land at the same time. Somehow their rotor blades collided. The inexplicable crash occurred in a wide, flat area with good visibility.
Vasanth Kumar, an Indian trekker, died on the spot, The Tourism Times reported. Shailesh Kishan from New Zealand and Rabindra Prajapati, a senior captain, were seriously injured. Both have been airlifted to hospitals in Kathmandu. They were all on board the Fishtail Air helicopter. The Air Dynasty chopper was carrying cargo.