JET CRASHES INTO CHOPPERS IN NEPAL
KATHMANDU: At least three people were killed and four others injured on Sunday when a small plane crashed into parked helicopters during take-off at the only airport in Nepal’s Everest region.
A pilot and two policemen were killed when a Summit Air plane skidded off the runway and collided with two parked helicopters at Lukla airport.
Tribhuvan International Airport spokesperson Pratap Babu Tiwari said S Dhungana, the co-pilot, and assistant sub-inspector Ram Bahadur Khadka, who was stationed at the helipad, were killed on the spot. Assistant sub inspector Rudra Bahadur Shrestha, who was injured and airlifted to Kathmandu, died at a local hospital.
According to a press statement issued by Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the Summit Air’s plane and Manang Air’s chopper were completely destroyed in the incident.
Another helicopter belonging to Shree Airlines was partially damaged.
Both are private airline companies that cater to tourists and Nepalese in the country’s remote areas.
Nepal’s airport authorities said that four passengers and a flight attendant on the plane were safe. Airport authorities have suspended the operations following the accident.
Captain RB Rokaya, who was flying the aircraft and Captain Chet Gurung of Manang Air, who was in the helicopter, were also injured in the incident.
They are receiving treatment at Grande Hospital and are said to be out of danger.
The aircraft had hit the helicopters of Manang Air and Shree Air.
The incident took place in the midst of the mountaineering season is commencing at Mount Everest. A total 320 climbers, 266 male and 54 female are trying to scale the mountain this season and several of them have already left to the Everest base camp for preparations.
Lukla airport, also known as Tenzing-hillary airport, considered the gateway to Mount Everest. It was built by New Zealand mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary-who together with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first to reach the 8,850-metre Everest peak in 1953 - as a gift to the people of the remote Solukhumbu region where it is located.
It is often referred to as one of the most difficult and dangerous airports in the world because of a short runway of 527 metres, and the challenging terrain.