Helicopters collide near Everest, killing one passenger and injuring three

Two helicopters collided while trying to land at Pheriche near Mount Everest on Tuesday, killing one passenger and injuring three people, including both pilots, according to Nepal Police.

The collision occurred at a helipad about 4,200 meters above sea level on a route to an Everest base camp. Nepal was in its prime autumn trekking season, though the busiest Everest climbing season had ended.

ABC7 Los Angeles reported, citing Nepal Police, that the helicopters collided after about 8 a.m. local time as both attempted to land at the Pheriche helipad in Solukhumbu district.

An Air Dynasty helicopter carrying commercial cargo had flown from Lukla with only the pilot aboard. The other helicopter, operated by Fishtail Air, was returning from an Everest base camp with two foreign passengers and a pilot, according to the report.

Police identified the passenger who died at the scene as Vasanth Kumar Balaramudu of Chennai, India. He had been aboard the Fishtail Air helicopter.

The other passenger, Shailesh Krishan Patel of New Zealand, suffered serious injuries and was flown directly to Nepal Mediciti Hospital in Kathmandu, ABC7 Los Angeles reported.

The Fishtail Air pilot was taken to a hospital near Kathmandu. The Air Dynasty pilot was receiving treatment in Lukla, according to the report.

A livestream weather camera operated by Webcam Nepal recorded the collision, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. The report did not specify what caused the helicopters to collide.