A small group aboard a helicopter were killed this week when the aircraft crashed into a mountain in Nepal.
Five people died in the crash on Wednesday August 7, which occurred slightly northwest of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, the nation’s capital. One woman and four men were uncovered at the scene, according to the Nuwakot government official Krishna Prasad Humagai.
The accident involved members of the military and police in the response. Two rescue helicopters also appeared on the scene to help. Humagai explained that the fatal crash happened in the region of the Suryachaur, which is near the capital city of Kathmandu and is a forest-covered mountain.
Just before two o’clock local time, the helicopter took off from the international airport in the nation’s capital. Its destination was Syaprubeshi. The aircraft reportedly lost contact with the flight tower less than five minutes after taking off, the Civil Aviation Authority said. The pilot was a man from Nepal and the four passengers were all Chinese nationals.
Tragically, the deadly crash is not the first of its kind to have taken place in the same region. It came only two weeks after a larger plane crashed immediately after takeoff from the same airport. All 18 passengers died on that flight, leaving the pilot—who sustained injuries—as the only survivor. In this instance, all except one were Nepali citizens.
The July crash sparked a government investigation into its origins, as the plane had a destination of the city of Pokhara. A majority of those who died on board were airline workers or mechanics, and the plane was being transported for maintenance.
Around the same time last year, another fatal crash took place, as announced by the Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport. This accident claimed the lives of another Nepali pilot and five passengers, all of whom were Mexican and tourists hoping to view the world’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest.
Although the precise reasons for the crashes vary by case, Nepal is known to be a dangerous place to fly. Poor weather conditions and low visibility contribute to the high risks, as do the region’s mountains.
