A helicopter crashed in the Everest region this morning while heading for Kathmandu in bad weather. All the occupants, five Mexican tourists and the pilot, died in the accident.
The Airbus H125 belonging to Manang Air went down shortly after leaving Surke, five kilometers from Lukla, for Kathmandu.
“The wreckage was found on Lamjura Pass at an altitude of 4,200m in the foothills of Mount Everest,” The Nepali Times reported.
As they noted, Surke lies in the Dudh Kosi River valley, only six minutes by air below the Lukla airfield. It serves as an alternative landing site for helicopters in poor weather. Authorities are investigating the cause of the accident.
Location of Lamjura Pass, where the helicopter crashed, on Google Maps.
The monsoon is currently hitting Nepal with full force, so the sky was overcast when the helicopter took off. Trekking and climbing peak seasons in Nepal take place before and after the monsoon, but many international tourists also visit in summer, during their holidays.
Everest flightseeing excursions are common even during the rainy season. The highest number of aerial accidents in Nepal occur during the period between June and the end of September. Most happen when helicopters hit mountains in low visibility.
