Nepal Bans Non-Essential Helicopter Flight Following Fatal Crash

After a tragic crash in the Everest region that killed six people, Nepal’s aviation regulator has barred helicopters from conducting non-essential flights, including sightseeing flights, for two months.

On Tuesday, five Mexican tourists and the Nepali pilot of a tiny helicopter owned by the private Manang Air firm were killed after their chopper crashed on their way back from seeing Himalayan peaks, including Mount Everest.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) tweeted, “Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has issued new regulations to ensure the safety of helicopter flights”, through its official Twitter handle.

Nepal has organized an investigative committee to determine what caused Tuesday’s crash, which occurred during the annual June-September monsoon season.

The Himalayan nation, which is home to eight of the world’s fourteen tallest mountain peaks, including Mount Everest, has a history of air crashes since many airlines fly to small airports in isolated highlands and near summits that are frequently cloaked in clouds.

In January, 71 people were murdered in Nepal’s deadliest air tragedy in 30 years, when a jet crashed near the tourist town of Pokhara.

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