In a tragic incident on Tuesday morning, a helicopter carrying six individuals reportedly crashed in the Lamjura area of Likhupike Rural Municipality, located in the Solukhumbu district of Nepal. The missing helicopter, registered as 9N-AMV and operated by Manang Air, was later discovered by local residents at Chihandanda, according to Nwang Lhakpa Sherpa, the deputy chair of the rural municipality.
Upon receiving the distressing news, an Altitude Air helicopter and security officials were immediately dispatched to the Lamjura Pass region to initiate search and rescue operations for the downed chopper. Raju Neupane, the operation and safety manager of Manang Air, informed the Kathmandu Post that the last known location of the helicopter was traced at 10:12 am in the Lamjura Pass area.
The ill-fated Manang Air chopper, with five unidentified Mexican nationals on board, alongside senior captain Chet B Gurung, departed from Surke Airport in Solukhumbu district at 10:04 am on its way to Kathmandu. Unfortunately, at 10:13 am, the helicopter suddenly lost contact while flying at an altitude above 12,000 feet, as reported by Gyanendra Bhul, the Manager at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).
TIA spokesperson Teknath Sitaula expressed the current situation, stating, “It has been reported that the helicopter of Manang Air is out of contact, there is no contact with the tower, when it reached the Lamjura pass, it was reported that the helicopter only received a ‘hello’ message on Viber. The search is underway.”
Manang Air, a helicopter airline based in Kathmandu and established in 1997, specializes in commercial air transportation within Nepal under the regulation of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. The company offers chartered services, focusing on personalized experiences such as adventure flights, helicopter excursions, and expedition work.
As search and rescue efforts continue, authorities and aviation experts are working diligently to determine the cause of the tragic incident. The thoughts and prayers of the community are with the families and loved ones of those involved in this distressing event.