In brief
Two helicopters operated by Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty collided while landing at a helipad in Solukhumbu district on November 3, killing a foreign national and injuring a second person. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has begun an investigation to determine the cause. Other media reports place the incident in Pheriche or Feruche within the same district.
At a helipad in Solukhumbu district, northeastern Nepal, two helicopters collided while attempting to land on November 3, killing one foreign national and injuring another passenger.
The collided aircraft were operated by the domestic carriers Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty, both of which routinely ferry tourists and supplies to the remote mountainous region.
In a statement from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), information officer Gyanendra Bhul said the rotors of the two helicopters struck each other during the landing process, and the authority was carrying out further inquiries to establish additional details about the incident.
Key facts reported by Xinhua and corroborated by Nepal’s Kathmandu Post and Himalayan Times indicate the collision occurred at approximately 8:15 a.m. local time.
While Xinhua lists the location simply as a helipad in Solukhumbu district, the Kathmandu Post and Himalayan Times identify the helipad as located in the town of Pheriche (also referred to as Feruche) in ward 4 of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality.
These reports confirm that the incident happened in the same district, but differ in the specific locality cited for the helipad, reflecting the limited available information early after the event.
Following the crash, emergency responders rushed to the site, but the exact injuries sustained by the surviving passenger had not yet been publicly disclosed as of the last statements from CAAN.
No other casualties or property damage beyond the aircraft was reported by the authorities.
The Governor of the Karnali province, who was en route to Solukhumbu on the same day, was briefly delayed in his travel plans but was not involved in the incident.
Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty have each released brief statements acknowledging the tragedy and expressing condolences to the victim’s family, though the statements avoided detailing the cause of the crash.
Regulators in Kathmandu have called for a comprehensive safety review of helicopter operations in the region, citing the challenging terrain and weather conditions that characterize flights to this part of Nepal.
Local pilots have noted that wind conditions on the mountain slope can create sudden turbulence, which can complicate landing approaches at small helipads.
Navigational aids and radio communication systems at the Pheriche/Feruche helipad are reportedly limited, raising questions about whether additional ground support could have prevented the collision.
While the cause is still under investigation, CAAN officials confirmed it was collating flight data recordings, witness statements, and maintenance records from both aircraft owners.
Both airlines have committed to cooperating fully with the investigation and to identifying any operational or mechanical lapses that may have contributed to the accident.
The incident has prompted calls from tour operators and local trekking agencies to review safety protocols for helicopter transport to the Everest region, a sector that brings a substantial portion of the country’s tourism revenue during the spring and summer months.
Questions remain about whether the two helicopters had simultaneous clearance to land on the shared helipad and whether ground coordination protocols were adhered to at the time of the collision.
The authorities will continue to update the public as further evidence from the investigation becomes available.
