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Nepal Police reported that a 47-year-old Indian national died at the scene after two helicopters clipped rotor blades while attempting to land at Pheriche in Ward 4 of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality around 8:11 a.m. local time. The location sits roughly 12 kilometres south of Mount Everest base camp at an altitude exceeding 4,200 metres along a popular trekking route. Verified video footage broadcast by multiple outlets captured the mid-air contact between the aircraft operated by Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty as they approached the snow-covered helipad from different directions.
The deceased has been identified as Vasanth Kumar Balaramudu from Chennai in Tamil Nadu who was travelling aboard the Fishtail Air helicopter according to Police Inspector Mausam Tamang of the Solukhumbu District Police Office. His body was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Lukla and will be moved to Kathmandu for postmortem examination police stated. The Indian Embassy in Nepal has begun coordinating with local authorities for the early repatriation of the remains The Hindu reported.
Shailesh Krishna Patel a 49-year-old New Zealand resident of Indian origin who was also on the Fishtail Air flight sustained injuries and was airlifted to Mediciti Hospital in Kathmandu by a Prabhu Helicopter Tamang told multiple outlets including The Kathmandu Post. Both pilots suffered injuries as well with Rabindra Prajapati of Fishtail Air and Prajwal KC of Air Dynasty receiving treatment in the capital according to district officials. The Air Dynasty aircraft had been on a cargo flight from Lukla while the Fishtail Air helicopter carried two foreign passengers after departing from Gorakshep or Lukla a Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal spokesman confirmed.
Gyanendra Bhul the deputy spokesman for Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal told The Telegraph that both pilots appeared to have attempted landing at the same spot with snow cover on the helipad possibly contributing to the confusion. Fishtail Air issued a statement acknowledging its helicopter’s involvement and confirming that injured passengers and crew were rescued and transferred to Kathmandu. The total number of passengers aboard both aircraft at the time of the collision has not been definitively established across all reports from the scene.
The accident occurred during Nepal’s autumn trekking season which dpa international noted ranks among the peak periods for hiking and mountaineering visits to the Everest region. Pheriche serves as a key stop for trekkers heading toward base camp approximately 150 kilometres northeast of Kathmandu according to police statements carried by The Indian Express and Rediff. Officials continue gathering evidence from the site where witnesses rushed to assist immediately after the impact.
Nepal has recorded dozens of aviation accidents in recent years largely due to its demanding Himalayan terrain and the Civil Aviation Authority’s safety oversight challenges dpa international reported. This latest incident adds to concerns surrounding helicopter operations in the area during periods of high tourist traffic. Authorities have not yet released preliminary findings on mechanical factors or pilot decision-making pending a full investigation.
