40 helicopter crashes in 43 years in Nepali sky

One person died in a helicopter mishap in Bhotkhola Rural Municipality-4 of Sankhuwasabha on Friday. Four people including the pilot were injured in the incident. The helicopter of the shuttle flight crashed into a tree while landing. 43-year-old Bhavin Gurung, an employee of Upper Arun Hydropower Project, who boarded on the helicopter as a helper, died while undergoing treatment.

So far, 19 helicopters have crashed in the Nepali sky causing human casualties, in which 94 people lost their lives and 31 people were injured. Apart from that, in 21 accidents, pilots and passengers were slightly injured. The first helicopter crash involving casualties occurred on December 27, 1979 at Lamtang. Six people on board died when the helicopter crashed according to the data of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). The second accident occurred on September 30, 1997 at Thupten Choling. One person was killed and four others were injured when a Karnali Air helicopter crashed. Similarly, an Asian Airlines helicopter crashed on 24 October 1998 at Mulkhark, killing three people. The remaining 30 helicopter accidents since 2000 are mentioned in CAN’s Aviation Safety Report – 2022. On 12 November 2001, a Fishtail Air helicopter crashed in Rara lake, killing four people. Similarly, on 30 September 2002, an Asian Airlines helicopter crashed in Solukhumbu, killing 11 people. On 28 May 2003, a Simrik Air helicopter crashed at Everest Base Camp, killing two and on 4 January 2005, an Air Dynasty helicopter crashed at Ramechhap, killing three. Two people also lost their lives in an Asian Airlines helicopter crash.

 Similarly, on 23 September 2006, a Shree Airlines helicopter crashed at Ghunsa in Taplejung, killing 24 people, the highest ever. On November 7, 2010, two people lost their lives when a Fishtail helicopter crashed in the Amadablam mountains. Similarly, on 19 June 2013 in Simikot and on 3 August 2014 in Sindhupalchowk, one person each died when a Fishtail helicopter crashed. In May 2015, 8 people were killed when an American army helicopter carrying relief for earthquake victims crashed in Sindhupalchok’s Ghorthali. On 2 June 2015, four people died in a mountain helicopter crash at Yamuna Danda in Sindhupalchok, on 8 August 2016, seven people died in a Fistel helicopter crash in Betini, Nuwakot, on 14 August 2018, one in a Manang Air helicopter crash in Hilsa, Humla, and on 8 September 2018, six people died in an Altitude Air helicopter crash in Dhading. There are statistics of cans that have died. Similarly, on February 27, 2019, seven people were killed when an Air Dynasty helicopter crashed at Pathibhara in Taplejung.