Tourist killed in helicopter collision

AN Indian tourist has died and three others have been injured after two helicopters collided while attempting to land near Mount Everest’s base camp.

The collision took place yesterday morning at the high-altitude Pheriche village, on the Everest trekking route in eastern Nepal, Gyanendra Bhul, the deputy spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), told The Telegraph.

The helicopters, operated by Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty, were ferrying trekkers who had been hiking up to Everest base camp during Nepal’s popular trekking season.

Vasanth Kumar Balaramarama­du, an Indian national on board the red Fishtail Air helicopter, died in the crash, Mr Bhul said.

Shailesh Krishna Patel, a New Zealander, and Rabindra Pradhan, the pilot of the Fishtail Air helicopter, were injured and airlifted to Medicity Hospital in Kathmandu.

The pilot of the Air Dynasty helicopter also sustained minor injuries, Nepali media reported.

A video broadcast by local media showed the Air Dynasty helicopter making a rapid descent. As it approached the helipad, it collided with the Fishtail Air helicopter, which was attempting to land from the opposite direction. —Telegraph

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