KATHMANDU, July 11: A helicopter belonging to Manang Air, which was en route to Kathmandu from Solukhumbu district, was found crashed in Lamjura area of Solukhumbu district on Tuesday afternoon. Government authorities confirmed that all six people on board the ill-fated chopper died in the accident.
The crash site lies near the border between Solukhumbu and Ramechhap districts.
The helicopter, which took off from Surke near Lukla – the gateway for climbing expeditions to the world's highest peak, went out of contact at 10.01 AM nine minutes after take off.
According to the spokesperson for the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Teknath Sitaula, the Manang Air helicopter with the call sign 9N-AMV (AS50) with six people on board made the last contact with the control tower when it reached Lamjura pass at 10.01 AM.
Chief of Koshi Provincial Police Office DIG Rajesh Nath Bastola informed Republica that the helicopter was found in Lamjura area of Likhupike Rural Municipality-5. According to him, a rescue team led by Assistant Sub Inspector of Police Nirajan Basnet has reached the crash site.
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The helicopter with the call sign 9N-AMV (AS50), which had flown from Surke in Solukhumbu to Kathmandu at 9:52 AM, had gone out of contact at 10:1 AM. Altogether six members including Captain Chet Bahadur Gurung were on board the ill-fated chopper.
According to police sources, the bodies of six people were recovered from the crash site.
Gurung, a local of Pokhara, had earlier survived an accident but luck did not favor him on Tuesday.
The helicopter lost contact shortly after takeoff and was found crashed in Likhupike Rural Municipality-5, Lamjura of Solukhumbu.
According to Nepal Police, all five of the passengers killed in the crash were Mexicans.
The five Mexicans have been identified as Sifuentes G Fernando (95) and Sifuentes Rincon Ismael (98), both males, along with three females, namely Sifuentes Gongalez Abril (72), Gongalez Olacio Luz (65) and Sifuentes G Maria Jese (52).
Captain Gurung, 55, was considered an experienced pilot. He joined Manang Air in 2014. Raju Neupane Gurung, flight safety manager of Manang Air, says that this flight was a regular one for him.
Prior to joining Manang Air, Gurung had flown MI-17 helicopters for Gorkha Airlines and Shree Airlines. Neupane informed Republica that Gurung also flew overseas while he was with Shree Airlines.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed sadness over the incident saying that the helicopter crash in Solukhumbu has shocked the country.
The government has decided to form an inquiry committee to investigate the Manang Air helicopter crash.
