Kathmandu, Nepal: A private commercial helicopter carrying six individuals, including five Mexican nationals, has gone missing near the Mount Everest area in Nepal, according to aviation authorities. The helicopter, identified as the Manang Air chopper 9N-AMV, departed from Surke Airport in Solukhumbu district en route to Kathmandu. However, it suddenly lost contact at an altitude above 12,000 feet, approximately at 10:13 am local time, as reported by Gyanendra Bhul, Manager at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).
Information Officer Gyanendra Bhul confirmed that the chopper, en route to Kathmandu, lost communication with the control tower around 10 am. The helicopter with the call sign 9NMV vanished from the radar at 10:12 am local time. On board the missing chopper were five foreign passengers and one captain.
Airport official Sagar Kadel stated that changes to the helicopter’s flight route were made due to weather conditions. During the monsoon season, flight delays and altered routes are common due to heavy rains and poor visibility.
Search and rescue efforts are currently underway for the missing aircraft. Altitude Air, another helicopter service, has been dispatched for search operations. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has identified the helicopter as belonging to Manang Air.
The identities of the five Mexican nationals and the senior captain, Chet B Gurung, have yet to be disclosed. According to the Himalayan Times newspaper, the Manang Air helicopter lost contact when it reached the Lamjura pass, with the only communication received being a “hello” message on Viber. TIA spokesperson Teknath Sitaula confirmed that the search operation is ongoing.
It is important to note that the tourist and mountaineering season concluded in May with the arrival of the rainy season, making mountainous flights less frequent during this period due to unpredictable weather conditions and reduced visibility.
Established in 1997, Manang Air is a helicopter airline based in Kathmandu, operating under the regulation of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. The company specializes in commercial air transportation within Nepal’s territory.
As authorities intensify search efforts, hopes remain for the safe recovery of the missing helicopter and its passengers.
