Mid-air collision in Everest region raises fresh questions over helicopter safety

An Indian national was killed and a New Zealander of Indian origin and two pilots injured when two helicopters collided while attempting to land in Nepal’s Everest region on Tuesday morning. The deceased was identified as 47-year-old Vasanth Kumar Balaramudu of Chennai, India, who was aboard a Fishtail Air helicopter. Shailesh Krishna Patel, the New Zealander, Rabindra Prajapati, the Fishtail Air helicopter’s pilot, and Air Dynasty pilot Prajwol KC were injured.

They are currently being treated at Nepal Mediciti Hospital in Kathmandu. The collision occurred at around 8:12am as both helicopters were attempting to land at a helipad in Pheriche, a popular stop for trekkers and climbers at an altitude of approximately 4,371 metres in Solukhumbu district. The other helicopter, an AS350 with registration number 9N-AJR, operated by Fishtail Air Pvt Ltd, had taken off from Gorakshep in Solukhumbu carrying two foreign nationals.

A video circulating widely on social media shows the Fishtail Air helicopter making a rapid descent despite warnings from ground staff.