Indian national Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu (47) was killed when two helicopters collided at Pheriche helipad in Nepal.
The mid-air touchdown collision involved Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty aircraft near Mount Everest Base Camp.
Three individuals—including two pilots and an Indian-origin New Zealand citizen—were injured and evacuated for treatment.
Indian Killed As Two Helicopters Collide In Nepal
A 47-year-old tourist from Chennai dies after a Fishtail Air helicopter collides with an Air Dynasty craft while landing in Solukhumbu district
Summary
The two helicopters collided while landing at Pheriche in Ward 4 of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality of Solukhumbu district on Tuesday, according to a Nepal Police statement.
The helicopters, operated by Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty, collided at around 8.11am (local time), according to the District Police Office, Solukhumbu.
Police Inspector Mausam Tamang said the deceased was identified as Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu, an Indian national travelling aboard the Fishtail Air helicopter.
Shailesh Krishna Patel, a 49-year-old Indian origin resident of New Zealand who was also aboard the same helicopter, was injured in the collision. He was airlifted to Mediciti Hospital in Kathmandu by a Prabhu Helicopter, Tamang said.
Nepalese pilots, Rabindra Prajapati of Fishtail Air and Prajwal KC of Dynasty Air, were also injured in the incident and have been taken to Kathmandu for further treatment.
Pheriche lies on the way to the Mt Everest Base Camp, 150 km northeast of Kathmandu.
Police said the body of Balaramaramadu has been taken to a hospital in Lukla.
The number of passengers aboard the two helicopters at the time of the collision has yet to be confirmed. Police said they were gathering further details of the incident.
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