A tragic helicopter collision on Tuesday below the Mount Everest base camp has killed at least one person and injured two others. The incident occurred as two helicopters, carrying trekkers, tried to land below the base camp.

A 47-year-old Indian tourist, Vasanth Kumar Balaramudu, was killed in the crash, while a tourist from New Zealand, identified as Shailesh Krishna Patel, was injured and transferred to Kathmandu for treatment. A Nepali pilot also sustained injuries but was treated locally.

The helicopters, operated by Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty, collided at around 8:11 am while attempting to land at Pheriche village in Nepal's Solukhumbu district. According to Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority, the Fishtail Air helicopter was carrying two foreign passengers from Gorakshep, while the Air Dynasty aircraft had departed from Lukla on a cargo flight.

Footage circulating on social media showed the helicopters approaching the landing area from opposite directions before colliding just metres above the ground and crashing onto the snow-covered surface. Preliminary reports suggest a possible communication failure between the pilots, as the area falls outside the coverage of Lukla Airport's air traffic control tower.

However, authorities have yet to establish the exact cause. The accident occurred during Nepal's busy autumn trekking season, when thousands of tourists visit the Everest region.

Heavy snowfall had recently disrupted trekking routes, but improving weather conditions allowed visitors to resume their journeys. Helicopters play an important role in the region, particularly in evacuating trekkers who fall ill or become exhausted at high altitudes, where road access is unavailable.

The Everest base camp trek generally takes around two weeks, beginning at Lukla and ending at the base camp, situated approximately 5,300 metres above sea level. Aviation safety in Nepal has long been a matter of international concern due to its challenging mountainous terrain and unpredictable weather patterns, which often create hazardous flying conditions.

Local rescue teams and emergency personnel were immediately dispatched to the crash site following the collision to assist the survivors and secure the area for further investigation by aviation experts. Diplomatic missions of the affected countries have been in contact with local authorities in Kathmandu to facilitate the repatriation of the deceased tourist and provide necessary consular assistance to the injured individuals.