Two Helicopters Collide at Pheriche Helipad Near Everest, Killing Indian Tourist

Two helicopters collided while attempting to land at the Pheriche helipad in Nepal's Solukhumbu district on the morning of 3 November, killing one Indian tourist and injuring three others. The incident occurred at approximately 8:11 am local time at a pad that sits at roughly 4,371 metres on the route toward Everest Base Camp.

The aircraft were an Airbus Helicopters AS350 operated by Fishtail Air (registration 9N-AJR) and another AS350 operated by Air Dynasty Heli Service (9N-AOD). The Fishtail machine had departed Gorakshep carrying two foreign passengers. The Air Dynasty helicopter had flown from Lukla Airport on a cargo run. Their rotor blades struck as both approached the same pad.

Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu, 47, from Tamil Nadu, was a passenger on the Fishtail helicopter. He died at the scene. His body was later taken to a hospital in Lukla. Shailesh Krishna Patel, 49, a New Zealand citizen of Indian origin who was also aboard the Fishtail aircraft, sustained injuries and was airlifted to Mediciti Hospital in Kathmandu by a Prabhu Air helicopter. Both pilots, Rabindra Prajapati of Fishtail Air and Prajwal KC of Air Dynasty, were also injured and transferred for treatment.

Pheriche lies in Ward 4 of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, about 150 km northeast of Kathmandu. It is a standard stop for trekkers and for helicopters ferrying clients between Lukla, Gorakshep and higher camps during the autumn trekking season. The area sits outside the coverage of Lukla's air-traffic control tower, so pilots rely on direct radio communication with each other. Preliminary assessments from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal point to possible miscommunication during the simultaneous approaches.

Video recorded from the ground shows the two machines low over the snow, their rotors interlocking, followed by both aircraft settling hard onto the surface. Onlookers scattered. Both helicopters sustained substantial damage. Rescue teams reached the site quickly; a Simrik Air helicopter was among the first responders.

Nepal has recorded dozens of aviation accidents in recent years, many linked to the country's extreme terrain, thin air at high-altitude pads, and rapid weather changes. Helicopters are essential for tourism in the Everest region because road access ends far below. Operators such as Fishtail and Air Dynasty run frequent shuttles for trekkers, climbers and cargo during the September-to-November window, which is currently under way.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal is investigating. The exact number of people aboard the Air Dynasty aircraft has not been confirmed in all reports, though the fatalities and serious injuries reported so far were concentrated on the Fishtail flight. No other deaths have been recorded. The body of Balaramaramadu remains in Lukla pending further formalities.

The collision is the latest in a series of incidents that have prompted repeated calls for tighter separation procedures at busy high-altitude pads. Pheriche, at more than 4,300 metres, leaves little margin for error once rotors are turning in the thin air. Operators normally coordinate arrivals by radio, but the absence of tower coverage means the system depends entirely on the pilots themselves. Investigators will examine radio logs, flight plans and the sequence of calls made in the final minutes.

For the families involved, the immediate priority is medical care and repatriation. Patel is receiving treatment in Kathmandu. The two Nepali pilots are also under care, one at Mediciti and one reported stable in Lukla. The autumn season continues, and other helicopters were flying the same route on the same morning. The incident will almost certainly prompt a temporary review of operating procedures at Pheriche and similar pads while the investigation proceeds.