Nepal: Pilot, 4 Chinese nationals killed in chopper crash - Video

A helicopter crash in central Nepal on August 8 killed all five people on board, including the pilot and four Chinese tourists.

The Air Dynasty chopper was heading from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi, a popular trekking destination when it lost contact three minutes after takeoff. The aircraft crashed in a jungle area on a hillside in Nuwakot district, north of the capital.

Emergency teams were dispatched after locals reported the crash and a fire at the site. Police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki told AFP that all five people aboard died. Nuwakot district officer Ram Krishna Adhikari said the bodies have been recovered, but the cause of the crash is still unknown.

Nepal's aviation industry has long struggled with safety issues, compounded by the country's challenging mountainous terrain. Due to these safety concerns, the European Union has banned Nepali carriers from its airspace.

This crash follows recent aviation incidents in Nepal, including a plane crash in Kathmandu that killed 18 people in July and a helicopter crash in the Everest region in 2023 that resulted in six fatalities. The deadliest recent accident was in January 2023, when a Yeti Airlines flight crashed while landing in Pokhara, killing 72 people.