Nepal: Indian killed as two helicopters collide while landing near Everest

• Two helicopters from Fishtail Air and Dynasty Air collided while landing at a high-altitude heliport in Solukhumbu near Everest, killing one and injuring another

• The deceased has been identified as 47-year-old Indian national Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu from Chennai

• Police said such flights are risky in Nepal's thin air and tough terrain, and this comes days after a separate helicopter crash in Badrinath that killed six

One person was killed after two helicopters collided while attempting to land at a high-altitude heliport in Nepal's Solukhumbu district, near Mount Everest, police said in a post on X.

The deceased has been identified as Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu, 47, an Indian national and resident of Chennai, according to the Kathmandu Post. Local police confirmed his identity.

The incident occurred at a heliport in Solukhumbu, about 250 km from Kathmandu. The collision went viral on social media after a purported video surfaced showing the rotors of the two aircraft striking each other just before touchdown, causing both to crash onto the icy ground. The authenticity of the video could not be independently verified.

The two helicopters were operated by Fishtail Air and Dynasty Air.

"One foreigner is dead on the spot, and another injured person has been taken to the hospital," Nabin Raja Budhathoki, in-charge of Solukhumbu district police, told news agency AFP.

Small helicopters are extensively used in Nepal to transport tourists, climbers and supplies, and for emergency evacuations. The country's difficult terrain and unpredictable weather make aviation operations particularly hazardous.

Nepal is home to eight of the world's 14 highest peaks and draws thousands of foreign trekkers and climbers every year.

Aviation experts note that helicopter operations in high-altitude regions of Nepal and neighbouring India are extremely challenging due to thin air. With fewer air molecules to push against, rotor blades generate significantly less lift, while engines struggle to draw enough oxygen for efficient combustion, reducing available power.

The incident comes just days after a helicopter crash shortly after take-off from Badrinath in Uttarakhand, India, which killed all six people on board, including the pilot. Badrinath is also a high-altitude region where thin air makes flying difficult.

With agency inputs