Kathmandu-bound helicopter with 6 people onboard crashes in Nepal

A helicopter with six people on board, which went missing on Tuesday morning, reportedly crashed at Lamjura of Likhupike Rural Municipality in Solukhumbu district. The locals discovered the crashed helicopter at Chihandanda, rural municipality deputy chair Nwang Lhakpa Sherpa, told Kathmandu Post.

An altitude air helicopter and security officials were deployed in the area of Lamjura Pass for the search and rescue of the chopper.

The last location of the Manang Air chopper, with registration number 9N-AMV, was tracked at 10:12 am in the Lamjura Pass area, Raju Neupane, operation and safety manager of Manang Air, told the publication.

The Manang Air chopper 9N-AMV departed from Surke Airport in Solukhumbu district at 10:04 am for Kathmandu. However, it suddenly lost contact at an altitude above 12,000 feet at 10:13 am, said Gyanendra Bhul, Manager at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).

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The passengers aboard the helicopter are reported to be five Mexican nationals, whose identities have yet to be disclosed and pilot senior captain Chet B Gurung, the Himalayan Times newspaper reported.

"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," TIA spokesperson Teknath Sitaula told My Republica news website.

Founded in 1997, Manang Air is a helicopter airline based in Kathmandu. It has been operating helicopters in commercial air transportation within the Nepalese territory under the Regulation of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.

The company provides chartered services and is focused on personalised services such as adventure flights helicopter excursions or expedition work.

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