Man killed as helicopters collide in Nepal near Everest

Updated / Tuesday, 3 Nov 2026 09:16

An Indian tourist was killed and another tourist from New Zealand was brought to hospital after two helicopters collided and crashed while attempting to land in Nepal's Everest region today.

Authorities said the Fishtail Air and Dynasty Air helicopters' rotor blades struck each other as they were attempting to land around 8.11am this morning (2.26am Irish time) at Pheriche Helipad in Solukhumbu.

Chief of Police Solukhumbu Mausam Tamang identified the deceased as Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu, 47, an Indian national from Tamil Nadu who was travelling aboard the Fishtail Air helicopter.

Another passenger on the same aircraft, Shailesh Krishna Patel, a New Zealand citizen of Indian origin, was also injured in the collision and was taken to hospital.

Both pilots also sustained minor injuries and were taken to Kathmandu for further medical treatment.

Authorities have yet to establish the total number of passengers who were aboard the two helicopters at the time of the crash.

Small helicopters are widely used in the Himalayan nation to transport tourists, climbers and supplies, as well as to carry out emergency evacuations.

The country's challenging terrain and rapidly changing weather conditions make aviation operations particularly hazardous.

Nepal is home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains, including Mount Everest, and attracts thousands of foreign climbers and trekkers every year.