Nepal retrieves bodies of 6 killed in helicopter crash near Mount Everest, 5 Mexicans among the dead
- The helicopter was returning to Kathmandu after a sightseeing trip in the Mount Everest area
- Nepal has a history of deadly air crashes, where several airlines fly to small airports in remote hills
Authorities in Nepal have retrieved the bodies of all six people killed in a helicopter crash on Tuesday, including five Mexican nationals, authorities said, the latest in a series of air disasters to strike the Himalayan nation.
The cause of the crash near Likkhu, just northeast of the capital of Kathmandu, was not yet known, the civil aviation regulator said, adding that the government would set up a probe committee to investigate.
The helicopter was operated by Manang Air, which ferries tourists seeking a view of the country’s towering peaks, including Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain.
Rescuers have retrieved the bodies of all six, said Sita Adhikari, a regional official in the district of Solukhumbu, the site of the crash.
“The bodies have broken into pieces,” Adhikari added. “More police have been sent to the location. Only then will we know details.”