Kathmandu: A chopper carrying Nepal’s Tourism and civil aviation minister Rabindra Adhikari and five others crashed Wednesday in Taplejung district in the country, according to a media report.
The Air Dynasty helicopter was carrying Adhikari as well as Ang Tsering Sherpa, a prominent aviation and hospitality entrepreneur, and Yubaraj Dahal, personal aide to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Inspector General of Nepal Police Sarbendra Khanal was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post.
The two other passengers were Birendra Prasad Shrestha, Deputy Director General of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, and Arjun Kumar Ghimire. The helicopter was being flown by Captain Prabhakar KC.
Sherpa, managing director of Yeti Airlines, is the chairman of Air Dynasty.
Moments after the chopper was reported missing, local residents in Pathibara area informed the police about a huge flame at the crash site, the daily said.
Our people are about to reach the site of the crash and we will know more then, said Sarbendra Khanal, the Inspector General said.
Also read: Boeing steps up response to criticism after fatal Lion Air crash
Rest in peace. Nepal has an exceedingly poor air safety record. Mountainous terrain, old machines. We took the early morning flight to view the Himalayan peaks, Everest in its solitary splendour, twenty years ago. Today one would reconsider.