1 dead, 2 injured in helicopter crash near Mount Everest base camp

Two helicopters collided while attempting to land just below Mount Everest’s base camp, resulting in one confirmed fatality and two injuries, according to local officials.

The aircraft were transporting trekkers during Nepal’s busy trekking season, with routes connecting Lukla’s airstrip to Everest base camp at roughly 17,380 feet. Officials noted that helicopters play a critical role in moving sick or exhausted trekkers from high-altitude areas where roads do not exist.

The crash occurred at Pheriche village, which sits at about 13,780 feet, and authorities said a 47-year-old tourist from India died. An accompanying passenger from New Zealand sustained injuries and was en route to Kathmandu for medical care, while a Nepali pilot received treatment locally.

Details on the total number of people aboard the two helicopters were not clear, and the news release did not specify the causes of the collision or the conditions at the time beyond mentioning prior heavy snow that had begun to ease. The incident marks the second problem along the Everest route in the same week, following a hotel fire in Dingboche that affected trekkers and staff but caused no injuries.