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12-07-2023
KATHMANDU: At least six people have lost their lives including five Mexicans in a helicopter crash Tuesday, according to the officials in Nepal, adding that bodies have been retrieved, starting the investigation.
Civil aviation regulator said that the cause of the crash near Likku, which is just northeast of the capital of Kathmandu is still unknown, however, the government would set up a committee to probe the crash.
The helicopter was operated by Manang Air, which ferries tourists seeking a view of the country’s towering peaks, including Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain, according to Reuters.
Rescuers have taken out the bodies of all six, said Sita Adhikari, a regional official in the district of Solukhumbu, the site of the crash.
“The bodies have broken into pieces,” Adhikari added. “More police have been sent to the location. Only then will we know details.”
An airport official, Teknath Sitoula, said a Nepali pilot and the five Mexican nationals had been on board.
“The helicopter took off … in good weather,” said Raju Neupane, a spokesperson for Manang Air. “The weather was not bad. Now we can’t say what caused the crash. It will have to be investigated.”
The rugged mountainous nation has a history of air crashes, as many airlines fly to small airports in remote hills and near peaks shrouded in clouds and cut off from roads.
Nepal’s worst air crash in 30 years killed 71 people in January, when a plane went down near the tourist city of Pokhara, leaving one body unaccounted.
The weather can also change quickly in the mountains, creating treacherous flying conditions.
In addition, Nepal’s aviation sector has been plagued by poor safety due to insufficient training and maintenance. The European Union has banned all Nepali carriers from its airspace over safety concerns. (Int’l News Desk)
