Two helicopters collide near Everest in Nepal, killing an Indian tourist

Two helicopters collided while landing at a helipad at Pheriche in Nepal's Solukhumbu district, on the trail to Everest Base Camp, on the morning of November 3, killing an Indian tourist and injuring three people.

What happened

Nepal Police said helicopters operated by Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty collided at around 8:11 a.m. local time as they were landing at Pheriche, which sits at 4,371 metres above sea level. The Fishtail Air helicopter was carrying two passengers from Gorakshep near Everest Base Camp, while the Air Dynasty helicopter was carrying cargo, The Hindu and Hindustan Times reported.

Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu, a 47-year-old tourist from Chennai, died at the scene. A New Zealand citizen of Indian origin who was aboard the same helicopter was injured, as were both pilots; two of the injured were flown to Kathmandu.

Cause under investigation

Kaman Singh Thapa Magar, Solukhumbu's chief development officer, told Hindustan Times the weather was clear at the time and a technical problem may have been to blame. Nepal Police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle said an investigation was under way. The tourist's body will be taken from Lukla to Kathmandu and handed over to Indian authorities.

Pheriche lies about 150 km northeast of Kathmandu and is a key stop on the trek to Everest Base Camp. Videos of the collision have spread widely online.

Sources: The Hindu, Hindustan Times, Nepal Police