Two helicopters collided while attempting to land at Pheriche, Nepal, below Mount Everest base camp, on 3 November, killing a 47-year-old Indian tourist and injuring a New Zealand passenger and a Nepali pilot. The village lies at an altitude of about 4,200 metres. The aircraft were ferrying trekkers during the autumn trekking season; the number of people aboard and the cause of the collision were not established in initial reports.
The injured passenger was being transported to Kathmandu for treatment, while the pilot was treated locally. Pheriche is on the trekking route to Everest base camp, where helicopters provide a means of evacuating sick or exhausted trekkers and guides; there are no roads into the area.
Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority identified the aircraft as AS350 helicopters operated by Air Dynasty and Fishtail Air. One had departed from Lukla and the other from Gorakshep, according to the authority. The aircraft were attempting to land at the same site when they collided. The cause remained under investigation, and early reports did not establish how many people were aboard both helicopters.