Indian killed in Nepal helicopter collision: MEA working to bring back mortal remains

India is working to bring back the mortal remains of an Indian national killed in a collision between two helicopters in Nepal's Solukhumbu district, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday.

Addressing a bi-weekly media briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the death and said the Indian mission in Nepal had conveyed its condolences following the incident.

“We have seen some of the pictures. Two helicopters were involved in the accident, and one Indian national has reportedly died. Our mission in Nepal has also confirmed this and expressed its condolences. We will try to bring back the mortal remains as soon as possible,” Jaiswal said.

According to reports, one person was killed and another injured when two helicopters collided while attempting to land at a helipad in the Pheriche area of Nepal's mountainous Solukhumbu district on Tuesday morning.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nabin Raja Budhathoki, chief of the District Police Office in Solukhumbu, told IANS that the deceased was Vasanth Kumar, an Indian national from Tamil Nadu.

"The injured person is a New Zealand national of Indian origin," he said.

Both were passengers aboard a Fishtail Air helicopter that collided with an Air Dynasty helicopter while the aircraft were approaching the helipad. The pilot of the Fishtail Air helicopter also sustained minor injuries. The Air Dynasty helicopter had no passengers on board, Nepali authorities said.

According to a statement issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, an AS350 helicopter operated by Air Dynasty Heli Service Pvt. Ltd., bearing registration number 9NAOD, had departed from Lukla Airport for Pheriche.

The other aircraft, an AS350 helicopter operated by Fishtail Air Pvt. Ltd. with registration number 9NAJR, had taken off from the Gorakshep area for Pheriche with two foreign nationals on board.

The two helicopters collided while landing at Pheriche at around 8:12 am local time, the aviation authority said.

Videos circulating on social media appear to show the rotor blades of the two helicopters colliding as they approached each other, before both aircraft fell to the ground.

(With IANS inputs)