ZCZC
BFF-14
NEPAL-ACCIDENT-AVIATION-LEAD
Three killed in aircraft runway accident near Everest
KATHMANDU, April 14, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – A small plane veered off the runway
and hit two helicopters while taking off near Mount Everest on Sunday,
killing three people and injuring three, officials said.
The accident happened at Lukla airport which is the main gateway to the
Everest region and is reputed to be one of the most difficult in the world
for landings and take-offs.
A co-pilot of the turbo-prop Let-410 plane run by Summit Air bound for
Kathmandu and a police officer on the ground were killed on the spot, Lukla
airport official Ema Nath Adhikari told AFP.
Another policeman died in hospital in Kathmandu, a police spokesman
confirmed.
“The plane slipped towards the helipad during take-off and collided with
two helicopters. The injured have been sent to Kathmandu for treatment,”
Adhikari said.
“We are not sure about the cause of the accident.”
Pictures from the scene showed mangled and scorched wreckage of the plane
and helicopters. Lukla airport is used by thousands of trekkers and climbers
heading for the Everest region each year.
It is particularly busy in April as the spring mountain climbing season
begins.
Nepal’s aviation industry has boomed in recent years, flying tourists and
goods to remote corners of the Himalayan nation where road access is limited.
But the impoverished country has a poor air safety record due to weak
training and maintenance. The European Union has banned all Nepalese airlines
from its airspace over safety concerns.
Seven people, including the country’s tourism minister, were killed in
February when a helicopter crashed in the hilly east.
BSS/AFP/1638 hrs