4 Chinese nationals, pilot killed in Nepal chopper crash
- The aircraft lost contact about three minutes after taking off, a press release from the Civil Aviation Authority said
A helicopter crashed in central Nepal on Wednesday, killing all five people aboard, including the pilot and four Chinese tourists.
Nepal has a woeful track record on aviation safety, and the Himalayan republic has seen a spate of deadly light plane and helicopter crashes over the decades.
The Air Dynasty chopper was heading to Syabrubesi, a starting point for many trekking routes popular with tourists, from the capital Kathmandu.
It lost contact about three minutes after taking off, a press release from the Civil Aviation Authority said, and crashed in Nuwakot district, north of the capital.
Another helicopter was dispatched immediately to the accident site for rescue, it said.
“All five people aboard, including the pilot, are dead,” police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki said.