Helicopter Crash in Nepal Claims Five Lives

A tragic helicopter crash in Nepal's mountainous region northwest of Kathmandu resulted in the deaths of all five individuals on board. The Eurocopter AS350, operated by Nepal-based Air Dynasty, took off from Kathmandu International Airport at 1:54 p.m. local time, heading towards Syaprubeshi. However, it lost contact with air traffic control merely three minutes after takeoff.

Authorities swiftly dispatched rescue teams to the Suryachaur area, a forested mountain region just outside the capital, where the crash occurred. Despite the challenging terrain, police and army rescuers, supported by two additional helicopters, managed to reach the site.

The ill-fated flight included four Chinese nationals and a Nepali pilot. Preliminary reports have yet to determine the cause of the crash, and an official investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal is underway.

Nepal's aviation sector has a troubled history with safety. Over the past 24 years, more than 360 people have perished in air accidents within the country. This has led to stringent measures such as the European Union banning Nepali carriers from its airspace due to safety concerns. Just weeks before this incident, a Saurya Airlines flight crashed near the same airport, killing 18 and leaving only the co-pilot as the sole survivor.

The repeated aviation tragedies in Nepal spotlight the urgent need for improved safety standards and regulatory oversight in the country's aviation industry.
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