Altitude Air Helicopter Skids in Lobuche During Rescue Mission, Pilot Unhurt
Solukhumbu – An Altitude Air helicopter skidded while attempting to land on the snow-covered Lobuche helipad, near Everest Base Camp, on Wednesday morning. Fortunately, the pilot escaped without injuries.
According to police, the helicopter had departed from Lukla at around 7:43 am to rescue trekkers stranded by heavy snowfall in the Khumbu region. While landing at Lobuche, the chopper reportedly skidded on snow and tipped over, but did not catch fire.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Manojit Kunwar, chief of the District Police Office, Solukhumbu, confirmed that Captain Bibek Khadka, the sole occupant of the aircraft, was safely rescued. He was airlifted to Lukla by a Kailash Air helicopter shortly after the incident.
Chief District Officer Lila Kumari KC Pandey said the crash occurred at around 8:15 am. Local authorities and security personnel were immediately mobilized to assess the situation.
Assistant Chief District Officer and Information Officer Surendra Thapa explained that the helicopter had been dispatched for a rescue operation to evacuate trekkers trapped by the continuous snowfall that began around 3 pm on Tuesday. “The helicopter slipped during landing, but there were no human casualties,” he stated.
Altitude Air Executive Chairman Nima Nuru Sherpa also confirmed that Captain Khadka was unharmed. The company’s marketing officer, Sudip Pyakurel, said the crash happened around 7:54 am and reiterated that the flight was part of a rescue mission.
Helicopter flights had been operating throughout the morning to assist tourists and guides affected by poor weather conditions in the Everest region.
Authorities are conducting an investigation into the incident. The helicopter sustained structural damage but no fire or explosion occurred.
The Khumbu region, which includes the world-famous Everest Base Camp trail, has been experiencing heavy snowfall and adverse weather over the past few days, disrupting flights and stranding trekkers at higher altitudes.
